Dad gives daughter lottery ticket. Life-changing CA prize left her in ‘disbelief’

A woman was given a $20 scratch-off from her dad, and the California prize left her in “disbelief,” lottery officials said.

Ashley Eugene was gifted a Maximum Millions ticket from her dad for Christmas, but she didn’t check it right away and had no idea it carried a $5 million prize, according to a May 16 news release by the California Lottery.

“I waited about a week and a half and just happened to be doing laundry,” Eugene told lottery officials.

Then she sat down, checked her ticket and discovered the win.

“I kept looking at it and making sure it was correct,” Eugene said.

Her dad was with her, so she had him check it as well, and a couple of days later they verified the win at a Sacramento store, officials said.

The California Lottery prides itself on providing “extra money for California public schools,” officials said.

“I have kids myself, four, and it’s beneficial to them as well. We got a blessing, but so did the kids who really need it, too,” Eugene told lottery officials.

She doesn’t plan to quit her job yet and will focus on paying bills, taking vacations and “setting up her children’s futures,” the release said.

This story was originally published May 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM with the headline "Dad gives daughter lottery ticket. Life-changing CA prize left her in ‘disbelief’."