Ex-Homeless Colorado Man Wins $1 Million Lottery Prize at Walmart

• Formerly homeless Colorado man wins $1 million scratch-off at Walmart
  
• Lottery ticket purchased during frustrating work shift changes his life
  
• Second story shows similar $1 million win for long-term homeless man

Not long ago, Jonathan G. was living in a shelter and trying to piece together stability after a stretch of homelessness and unemployment. Now, he’s a millionaire.

Jonathan purchased a $20 ticket for the Colorado Lottery’s “200X” scratch game at a Walmart Supercenter in the city – and promptly hit the big time.

The Alamosa, Colo., resident turned his life around when he secured a job working as a cellphone sales representative. But he turned it around even harder by winning the lottery.

Beating the Odds

The odds of winning that top prize are long: roughly 1 in 840,000, according to the Colorado Lottery. The overall odds of winning anything on the ticket are about 1 in 3.27, officials were quick to add.

Jonathan said he normally spends only about $5 on scratch tickets and had won no more than $20. On this occasion, however, he decided to try the more expensive $20 “200X” game – a wise choice, with the benefit of hindsight.

“I definitely plan on giving my girlfriend and kids a life that I never thought was possible,” Jonathan said. “A little hope and perseverance and a gift of luck are going to give us a life we have been working very hard to have.”

Deserved Every Penny

Last April, a man who had been living on the streets of Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo (SLO), Calif., for years had a very similar experience.

Armando Vidal had been homeless since 2008 after an injury left him unable to work. But his personal circumstances improved significantly after he purchased two $10 Triple Red 777 Scratchers in early April from Sandy’s Deli & Liquor in SLO.

Vidal, a regular customer at Sandy’s, first believed he had won just $200.

The store’s lottery scanner confirmed the ticket was worth $1 million.

“I’m like, ‘Man, you hit the jackpot,’” Samaan said. “He’s like, ‘$100K?’ and I’m like, ‘No, bro. That’s $1 million. Congrats, brother,’ and we gave each other a high five.”

“He deserved every penny of it,” Samaan told The San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s a good guy.”

Vidal said he plans to stay out of the limelight, use the money to get an apartment, and invest the rest to ensure financial stability.