Months after viral story, winner tells Lottery he plans to keep a lower profile
By Kate Northrop
The California Lottery has confirmed they awarded a $1 million prize win to a homeless man who went viral on social media for his touching story.
Back in April, video footage of an unidentified homeless man circulated online of him celebrating a "life-changing" prize that would get him off the streets. Just this week, the California Lottery revealed his identity and confirmed him as the legitimate winner of the $1 million prize.
Armando Vidal will be able to afford a home of his own now that the California Lottery has officially awarded him his winnings, and his story is nothing short of heartwarming.
"Man, I'm not homeless anymore!" Vidal had exclaimed after hitting the jackpot on a $1 million winning lottery ticket.
Back in 2008, Vidal ran into hardship following a move from Santa Clara to Santa Maria, in which an injury left him unemployed and then homeless, he told the Lottery.
He did what he could to find work and "restore his living situation," moving to San Luis Obispo in the process. There, he frequented Sandy's Deli & Liquor on Higuera Street and soon became a regular.
One day in mid-April, Vidal picked out two $10 "Triple Red 777" scratch-off tickets at the retailer. He was positive one of the tickets was a winner for $200, but just to be sure, he brought it to the store to check it.
When he presented his ticket at the retailer to have it scanned, he thought he had seen $100,000 come up as the winning amount. Store Manager Wilson Samaan, who lauded Vidal as a loyal, longtime customer, shared some congratulatory remarks and high-fives with Vidal and asked, "What are you going to do with a million dollars?"
That question gave Vidal pause.
"I was like, 'Huh?'" Vidal recalled to Lottery officials. "And that's how I found out that I'd won a million dollars."
The winner began wondering how to go about claiming the prize and asked Samaan, "Do I want to send it in the mail?" to which Samaan replied, "That's a million-dollar ticket. No, I will drive you there."
And so, Samaan was kind enough to embark on a road trip with Vidal and drive him to the California Lottery District Office in Fresno to help him claim the prize.
With the winnings, Vidal is currently working on securing a place to call home — one that both has a comfortable bed and will allow him to share life with a couple of dogs. To "keep the money coming in," the Lottery added, he also plans on investing some of the prize money. And since his story had already gone viral in April, he'd like to "keep a much lower profile in the future."
2 out of 13 top prizes of $1 million remain in the $10 "Triple Red 777" scratch-off game, as well as 6 out of 27 second-tier prizes of $20,000 and 24 out of 109 third-tier prizes of $10,000.
The odds of winning the top prize in the $10 "Triple Red 777" scratch-off game are 1 in 2,047,423, while the odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 2.92.
What a story 🙏 BTW, 13 top prizes of $1mil for a $5 ticket... wow New Jersey needs to catch up with their scratchers...
Excuse me, Got a buck.? Pardon me, Got a buck.? Good day sir.
I respect your bravery in expressing an opinion that I'm certain a lot of others wouldn't dare say out loud, outside of there home, or in some private virtual space online. Nonetheless, they'd happily give you an upvote for mocking the homeless, and your fundamentally flawed thinking?!
IMO you're truly just mimicking someone else's ancient political and conservative beliefs that have been expired by factual data.
I'd guess you're not living in any of the big cities across North America? Or, paid attention as to what's happening around the rest of our world regarding this matter? Have you ever really given much thinking for life as a homeless person? What happened... for them to find themselves feeling like they're unwantedly living by everyone & everywhere they are 247365. Imagine if no one wants you around, or even cares if you are alive?
You cannot possibly know what it's like to be homeless, I truly doubt that you've ever considered what it might be like having to ask people to spare something... anything to get by day in, and day out. It's not like they have a sofa to lounge on with a TV in front of them to get board with.
You sound like someone who has never thought about what life for the homeless is when it's suffering, sticky, and hot outside, while you're blasting the AC, and how grateful they'd be for a drink of water.
Then, the other half of the year, when it's cold, or freezing outside. With the heat blasting, you'd say it's not warm enough. All whilst, you're sleeping in your cushy bed, under the roof over your head. Homeless seek shelter in layers of filthy blankets, and a cardboard box to rest on. Shaking and shivering, away. Taking another sip of liquor just to stop the feeling of freezing.
By the time, someone has become homeless, something happened to the life they were living. I'm not saying they're blameless. Actually, there's quite a lot they blame themselves for finding their lives in ruins. I'm saying, they need help. They'll appreciate what help is offered to them, especially when they're given kindness and compassion. Be grateful, for being physically and mentally able to work. Treat the world, we all live in better. Treat each other, the way we'd want to be treated, if situations were swapped.
Not everyone you embrace with a better you will be deserving of your efforts. However, if we decide to be less, than say out loud "today ignorance, and hate win, and you lose." No one is worthy of making less than you should be, no one, nobody, no matter, ever!
We know better than days passed, we can do better than we have, we need to be better than ever before, everyday we can.
Give thanks to the Gods in the Heavens above for what you have that matters, and for the homeless tonight, every night.
Whether one agrees with your premise or not, I applaud you for your eloquent message of compassion for those who are less fortunate! True empathy (not the virtue-signaling type) is something to be treasured.
If this story doesn't warm your heart, something is not right with you.
He so deserved this big break...and a dog lover, well there you have a wonderful human being!
Great story!
Congrats!
I am so happy for this gentleman!!!
* Wonderful 👌
The winner is someone who has been homeless since 2008. That was 17 years ago. At some point, and that was long past, it became a lifestyle choice.
When someone spends $20 on lottery tickets plus whatever on alcohol, on a regular basis, that is a choice to spend one's money on alcohol and lottery rather than housing.
A million dollars (minus taxes) is a lot of money, but it will not change someone's poor choices in life. Let's hope he uses this money as an opportunity to make better choices going forward.
i don't want to rain on a nice parade, but how will the winner pay for all the recurring expenses of home ownership? will investment income really provide enough? i hope he just rented a modest apartment instead of buying a house.
Heart warming story best of luck 🤞 to you and your win .
I wish the guy the best of luck also but without counseling, he may fall into a dangerous lifestyle. Homeless people are a lot different than 20 or 30 years ago with the massive fentanyl addictions. I have volunteered in homeless shelters on occasion and years ago it was sometimes due to people simply down on their luck with no support system. That reason is uncommon now. And a lot of people experience downturns in life and do not turn to drugs or alcohol. No one should accept that as a coping strategy. This is a problem across the US and not just a big city thing. Small towns have been decimated by the fentanyl addiction of their young residents.
I hope he gets the treatment and counseling he needs so he can live a better life.
Congratulations! Maybe move to a lower cost of living area or another state to stretch his money. This windfall needs to last a lifetime. In some states he could afford to buy a four unit property; live rent free and still generate income!
You don't know that man or why he was homeless!
As Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7, judge not.