Lottery player pounds desk after scratching California ticket. ‘I lost my mind’
While an interruption to a “daily rhythm” can often be an inconvenience, it turned into a “life-changing moment” for a California lottery player.
During a “routine morning stop” at a Vacaville gas station across the street from his work, Michael Wright bought a $10 Triple Red 777 scratch-off ticket, California Lottery officials said in a July 15 news release.
Soon after, Wright said he “got to scratching” in his methodical way.
“I start from the bottom right corner and work my way up,” Wright told lottery officials.
Wright found multiple zeros — six to be exact.
“Am I seeing things? Is this a dream? Oh my gosh,” Wright said of his reaction realizing he had won $1 million. “I lost my mind in the store. I started pounding the little lottery desk.”
Prior to his win, Wright had been looking for an exit from his day job of more than three years.
And his “win just accelerated a plan in motion,” lottery officials said.
“I told my son, ‘We’re going to transition. I’ll find something else for us. We are going to exit gracefully,’” he said.
Wright told lottery officials he already has plans for his winnings, including starting a family business with his wife and buying a new home.
Wright said his win “came at the right time.”
“If you don’t believe in a higher power when this type of stuff happens, you’ve got to,” he said.
Vacaville is about a 30-mile drive southwest from Sacramento.
This story was originally published July 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Lottery player pounds desk after scratching California ticket. ‘I lost my mind’."
