Routine trip turns into an instant record
By Kate Northrop
AUBURN, Calif. — A California Lottery player made history when he won one of the largest scratch-off prizes offered in the state at an astounding $20 million.
Chad Fry turned a mundane errand into California state history after he won $20 million from a scratch-off ticket, winning the biggest instant prize the Lottery has ever offered.
It was like any other day, except Fry needed to run out to buy a pair of shorts in Auburn. What started as a routine trip developed into a momentous occasion he said he'd never forget.
After picking up his new shorts, he stopped at Foothill Market on Lincoln Way in Auburn to "buy some beer and a lottery ticket," Fry told the Lottery.
That ticket was from the $30 "Set For Life Millionaire Edition" instant game. According to the Lottery, the top prize is twice as much as the top prize for any other scratch-off ticket on the market ($10 million).
The timing could not have been better for the lottery winner, who said that the only reason he was able to stop and buy the $30 ticket is because he had been paid for a "side construction job" he completed in the winter.
"I had been waiting months for these people to pay me!" he said in a press release. "So I had a little extra money. When I was at the counter, it grabbed my eye, so I said, 'give me that thirty-dollar ticket,' and that was it!"
Originally, Fry told himself that he would wait until he got home to play the ticket, but he remembered that he needed to make a stop at the grocery store first. Rather than wait, he decided to scratch it off in the parking lot.
"I was like, hold on, let me scratch this thing really quick," he recalled. "I scratched the first line, got halfway through the second [line], and saw [the word] 'LIFE!'"
The "LIFE" symbol on the "Set For Life Millionaire Edition" ticket means that the player wins one of the six top prizes in the game.
Fry had two ways of claiming his record prize — an annual payment of $800,000 for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $11.6 million, both before federal taxes. He chose to receive his winnings as a lump sum, which he said he'll use to buy a new F250 truck.
"I'm sure it will hit me that I'm a millionaire [now that I've seen] all those zeroes!" he reasoned.
With the third top prize claimed, there are three left in the game, as well as 21 out of 30 second-tier prizes of $50,000 and 414 out of 620 third-tier prizes of $10,000.
i'm loving this, congrats Mr.Fry!
right in my home-state of CALIFORNIA.
some 1 mention this to me,and I didn't see it here,
so, now i do,and again congrats, love this so much, talk about luck !!!!
CONGRATULATIONS, TIME 2 CELEBRATE for him and his loved ones!
I HOPE HE INVEST IT WISELY TO MAKE IT LAST A LIFETIME, SOME HAVE NOT."
1 Lump Sum, for me, any age, i would take LUMP SUM, and not have to get a pymt. each year from gov't, on MY winnings, nope. Give it to me baby, ALL in 1 LUMP sum.
would rather have it ALL at once. Awesome story." GOOD LUCK TO ALL tonight and wknd. the rest of summer with all of your lottery combinations." Bye now.
I Betcha the lottery ticket cost more than the pair o' shorts!
According to USAMEGA, California does not TAX lottery winnings so he only has to worry about UNCLE SAM. Your rich uncle is supposed to give you money, not take money away from you. Congrats to Cali for doing the needful and not taxing lottery winnings. Now the winner can use some of that savings to purchase all the F250 he needs for work and for play. CONGRATS TO BOTH.
Congratulations Chad!
If my name was Fry I'd name my first son Fish.
Good story.
Great win! 
Congrats Chad, enjoy your win with a couple cold beers.
"Fry had two ways of claiming his record prize — an annual payment of $800,000 for 25 years or a lump sum payment of $11.6 million, both before federal taxes. He chose to receive his winnings as a lump sum, which he said he'll use to buy a new F250 truck. "
Congrats to him but whoa!!! My vehicle was not designed and built in this Millennium so I had no idea how expensive new vehicles are. $11.6 million for a new truck...Yikes!
The only bigger ticket I know of is the $25 Million Florida Scratcher...I wonder how much the cash prize is on that one.
I thank the LP for news like this because it makes me realize how bad the scratchers are in my state to the point that I have quit playing them.
Hopefully Fry realizes what a lucky SOB he is.
I don't think he's going to spend all his winnings on his new truck, but it's probably going to be the first thing he buys with his newfound wealth.
Congrats!
Looked up the Florida $25,000,000 ticket and the pre tax cash on that one is $20,560,000
I cant wait to go back to my home state but knowing my luck I'd probably get a ten dollar winner , Congrats on hitting a scratchoff like that the odds are in the billions
Just about everyone who wins the lottery buys a new car. He'll have plenty left over for other stuff like paying off debts and saving for the future.
I wish him well.