In choosing a pizza instead of a burger as a lunch option, one family in Northern California may recommend a choice of pizza. Northern California man McKinley Nelson, 72, and his wife’s pizza craving paid off with a large windfall, as their stop resulted in a $1 million prize, the California Lottery reports.
The unbelievable round table pizza lucky adventure
The incredible experience took place in Winters, California, a small community about 40 miles west of Sacramento. McKinley Nelson and his wife paid a trip to Round Table Pizza at 196 E Grant Avenue, the same building that houses Winters Wine & Liquor. What began as simply a typical pizza pickup turned into an unbelievable slice of good fortune that would alter their lives in ways they never could have dreamed.
When they stopped to place an order for their pizza, Nelson realized he needed to break a $100 bill to tip the restaurant workers well. “I had a $100 bill. So, I bought two tickets,” Nelson informed officials of the lottery. He spent $20 on two Loteria Grande Scratchers tickets at the neighborhood liquor store and then went back to retrieve their pizza.
The million-dollar discovery
Rather than waiting until they got home, Nelson preferred to scratch the tickets in his truck the moment he had bought them. “I think it was $20, and I went to the truck and started scratching,” he told lottery officials. What happened next was more than he ever could have imagined.
After scratching off a ticket, Nelson exited the truck and entered the house, speaking to his wife only once, saying, “I think this one’s a million, but I don’t know.” Sitting in the truck himself, he accessed the California Lottery App on his phone and reviewed his suspicions. The app said what appeared almost too remarkable to be believed – the Loteria Grande Scratchers game he had played was a million-dollar winner.
A wife’s pizza celebration
The news of the discovery was too much for Nelson and his wife. “So, my wife almost had a heart attack,” Nelson reported to lottery officials about what happened when she learned the news. The couple still maintained their initial objective to achieve despite possibly life-altering news. “And then we had to go in and get the pizza. It was all because of her, she’s the one that wants the pizza,” Nelson stated with obvious affection.
A 40-year veteran’s path to victory
McKinley Nelson, a 72-year-old retired military man, has been a California Lottery player since the game began 40 years ago. This incredible victory was his initial jackpot prize after being a 40-year player. “It took a long time to win,” Nelson chuckled, reminiscing about his perseverance.
His commitment to gaming the lottery from the birth of the California Lottery system does nothing but render his ultimate victory all the more valuable. The timing could not have been better for the retired veteran and his wife.
Placements for the million-dollar windfall
The Nelsons have well-thought-out plans for their new wealth that are in harmony with their down-to-earth personalities and need to spend quality family time together. Nelson plans to pay off his house, set some funds away in savings, and buy a camper van. The pair hopes to spend their new family RV road-tripping across the nation to visit extended family members.
Their vacation schedule is to visit Nelson’s relatives who reside in the South first, and then visit his wife’s relatives who reside even farther from them. This vacation will serve to reunite with loved ones while in their retirements together.
The retailer’s bonus
Winters Wine & Liquor, where Nelson bought his winning ticket, qualifies for a bonus prize for selling the jackpot ticket. Convenience stores also receive bonuses when they sell winning lottery tickets, adding to the excitement for local businesses.
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