Mom leaves lottery ticket hanging on fridge — until son discovers it’s worth millions

A woman won millions after buying a $3 lottery ticket in Colorado, officials said.

The retiree has been playing the lottery since “day one” and had only ever claimed $50 as her biggest prize, according to a Dec. 12 news release by the Colorado Lottery.

The lucky woman stopped at a convenience store in Pueblo for a soda when she decided to buy a $3 Colorado Lotto+ winning ticket, officials said. She had no clue her prize would be $5,214,531.

The woman hung her ticket on her refrigerator until her son checked it and was able to tell her the “life-changing news,” officials said.

The woman doesn’t have immediate plans for the money but said Pueblo “holds a special place in her heart,” officials said.

The woman told officials she wants to “improve” the city anyway she can, officials said.

Pueblo is about 110 miles south of Denver.

This story was originally published December 12, 2023 at 4:38 PM with the headline "Mom leaves lottery ticket hanging on fridge — until son discovers it’s worth millions."