California resident LaQuedra Edwards experienced the kind of accident that most people can only dream of.
Edwards put US$40 into a lottery ticket vending machine at a supermarket in Los Angeles County, Calif., last November.
While selecting the kinds of lottery tickets she wanted to purchase, Edwards said, “some rude person” bumped into her, causing her to accidentally press the wrong button on the machine.
“He just bumped into me, didn’t say a thing and just walked out the door,” Edwards said in a press release.
To add to her annoyance, the collision with the stranger caused Edwards to accidentally spend $30 on one lottery ticket, rather than purchasing several of her favourite, cheaper tickets.
Her annoyance at buying the $30 200X Scratchers lotto ticket didn’t last long.
When Edwards returned to her car to play the lottery ticket, she discovered she had won the top prize on the $30 ticket — $10 million.
“I didn’t really believe it at first, but I got on the 405 freeway and kept looking down at (the ticket), and I almost crashed my car,” Edwards said.
“I’m still in shock. All I remember saying once I found out how much I just won was, ‘I’m rich!’” she said.
According to the California State Lottery press release, Edwards plans to use her winnings to buy a house and start a non-profit organization.
The supermarket where Edwards bought the winning ticket — that she never intended to purchase — also received a $50,000 bonus for selling the ticket.