Lottery player lands huge jackpot in California. ‘Thought I scratched it wrong’

Daniel Peramaki calls himself the “King of the $20 Scratchers,” but his latest win had even the veteran player doubting himself.

“I thought, ‘no way!’ I honestly thought I scratched it wrong,” Peramaki said in a Nov. 2 California Lottery news release. “I was in shock for probably the whole day. I didn’t sleep that night.”

Peramaki won the top $5 million jackpot on a Neon Cash Party ticket when he hit the winner after scratching off 24 losing spots, the lottery said.

He bought the ticket at a liquor store in Anaheim, which will receive a $25,000 bonus.

Peramaki, who describes himself as “very superstitious,” has a few tricks when it comes to buying Scratchers, lottery officials said.

He tries to purchase the seventh, eighth or ninth tickets on newly opened packs of $20 Scratchers. Peramaki also refuses to scratch his new tickets right away.

“If I scratch them right away, it’s a loser,” he said. “I usually buy them, put them in my pocket, and wait. I didn’t scratch this one until midnight.”

The winning $5 million ticket also was the seventh from a fresh pack, lottery officials said.

Also in Anaheim, Raul Reyes Arreola won the top $20 million prize on a Set for Life Scratcher, lottery officials said.

This story was originally published November 5, 2023 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Lottery player lands huge jackpot in California. ‘Thought I scratched it wrong’."