To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Not now
OK
Advert
Advert
Advert

Man stunned after finding winning $200,000 lottery jackpot ticket stuffed in his wallet

Emma Rosemurgey

Published 
| Last updated 

Man stunned after finding winning $200,000 lottery jackpot ticket stuffed in his wallet

Featured Image Credit: Michigan Lottery / Sipa US / Alamy Stock Photo

Let's be real, most of us have daydreamed about winning the lottery. Not even necessarily a huge amount, but even a little nest egg that allowed us to pay off the mortgage would be nice.

Now, imagine you actually had won the lottery, but you were just wandering around, living your life as normal, with no idea you were secretly rich. One can dream.

That's exactly what happened to one man - well for a week at least - after he won the Fantasy 5 jackpot with a lottery ticket that was crumpled up in the bottom of his wallet.

Advert
Yandiel Cruz-Chavez hit the jackpot. Credit: Michigan Lottery
Yandiel Cruz-Chavez hit the jackpot. Credit: Michigan Lottery

Yep, one Michigan man is living out our wildest dreams after winning almost $200,000 on a lottery ticket he forgot he had even purchased.

Yandiel Cruz-Chavez, from Wyoming, spent just $1 on a Fantasy 5 lottery ticket last month, before crumpling it up in his wallet and forgetting all about it - as many of us do.

But unbeknown to him, the 31-year-old had actually purchased the winning ticket, matching all five numbers, bagging him the jackpot - and the best part is, he was blissfully unaware for an entire week.

Advert
He says the money is a blessing to his family. Credit: Yandie Cruz-Chavez / Facebook
He says the money is a blessing to his family. Credit: Yandie Cruz-Chavez / Facebook

According to the MailOnline, Cruz-Chavez told lottery officials: "I bought a Fantasy 5 ticket and forgot I had it in my wallet until a week after the drawing.

"I checked the ticket at the store and got a message to file a claim, so I looked up the winning numbers online. When I realised I'd won the jackpot, I was in disbelief at first."

After putting in a claim, Cruz-Chavez discovered that not only had he won a prize, he'd actually won an eye-watering $199,407.

Advert

He said: "Once it sunk in that I had really won, I was overcome with excitement and called everyone in my family to tell them the good news.

"The prize came at the perfect time and is a huge blessing to me and my family."

Credit: Yandiel Cruz-Chavez / Facebook
Credit: Yandiel Cruz-Chavez / Facebook

But how would you spend that kind of cash? Go on lots of fancy holidays? Buy a snazzy new car? Pay off your mortgage?

Advert

Well, Cruz-Chavez is a rather modest man and says he plans to save most of the cash, as well as investing in some home improvements.

What a sensible, sensible man - although we'd suggest you've got to throw at least one fancy holiday in there for good measure.

Topics: News, US News, Money, Good News

Emma Rosemurgey
More like this
Advert
Advert
Advert

Chosen for YouChosen for You

Community

Secret words which could stop you from getting fired

3 minutes ago

Most Read StoriesMost Read

People left disturbed after seeing how crabsticks are made and they never want to eat them again

20 hours ago