Eugene Brown of Menifee, known for his playful nature, once tricked his wife by pretending one of her favorite singers had passed away just to capture her reaction. Therefore, when he showed her his $5 million lottery ticket, she was understandably skeptical. As a teacher with little patience for jokes, she initially doubted the authenticity of the ticket. However, Brown eventually convinced her that their family had indeed become millionaires through the California Lottery.
Brown purchased the winning ticket while out with their young child, allowing his wife a brief break. After grabbing breakfast and taking a stroll, Brown scratched his tickets at home, initially winning $75 and then what he believed to be $5,000. Seeking confirmation, he showed his Maximum Millions ticket to his wife, who correctly identified it as a $5 million winner. Still thinking it was a prank, she calmly asked him to take out the garbage.
Though it took some effort, Brown managed to convince his wife that they were now multi-millionaires. He shared his plans to pay off their house and place the remaining funds into a trust. Winning such a substantial lottery prize is exceptionally rare, with odds ranging from 1 in 290.4 million for Mega Millions to 1 in 41.4 million for SuperLotto Plus.
Southern California has seen its fair share of jackpot winners, with two out of four Powerball jackpot winners in 2025 hailing from the region. Notable wins include a $204.5 million ticket sold at an Arleta 7-Eleven and a $515 million Powerball ticket purchased in Anaheim.
