Lottery Winner Surprised to Discover $1K Ticket Is Worth $1.3 Million

A Los Angeles hairdresser who thought she won $1,000 in the California Lottery received a pleasant surprise.

When 26-year-old Ligia Dennis took her California Lucky Life Scratchers ticket to the lottery’s Van Nuys district office the day after Christmas, she learned it was actually worth $1.3 million.

”(The lottery employee) looked at the ticket and was like, ‘How much do you think you won again? It’s a little more than a thousand dollars,”’ Dennis said.

Dennis had a double-dose of good fortune: she almost gave the ticket away, according to her fiance, Tim Ballany.

“This homeless guy asked if he could have some change,” Ballany said. “She was like, ‘Maybe I’ll just give him my ticket. Maybe he’ll win something.’ Then she was like, ‘You know what? No, let me keep this ticket.”’

The winning ticket was purchased Dec. 16 at Big Jim’s Donuts in East Hollywood.

Dennis plans on paying off her student loans, catching up on bills and perhaps opening up her own salon.

“I’ve been a hairdresser for about six years,” she said. “It’s always been my dream to own my own salon.”

• Dennis said she will consult a financial adviser before before deciding whether to take the $1.3 million spread out over 25 years or a lump sum payout of about $750,000 before federal taxes.

• City News Service