From stunned silence to happy tears, the excitement was undeniable as winners recalled the moment they scanned their ticket and saw the words every player dreams of: Call the Lottery.
“I’m a big believer in random chance,” one winner said. “I always believed that one day I’d scan a ticket and see that message, and I finally did.”
For many, this was their very first-time playing Raffle. And one lucky player’s first win? A million dollars. “I won $1 million. I’m in total shock that this could happen to me.”
One first-time player received a Raffle ticket as a Christmas gift from their dad. “When I realized I won, the first thing I said was, ‘There’s no way. I think I’m dreaming!’” Their plans? Paying off bills and then treating themselves a little.
For others, Raffle has been a long-standing tradition, proof that persistence pays off. “I’ve played Raffle every year for the last 20 years. This is my first time winning,” one $20,000 winner said. “I thought it was a joke and kept re-scanning the ticket all day. Now I’m going to have fun in retirement and with my grandkids.”
Another long-time player shared a moment years in the making: “I drive by the Roseville office all the time and think, ‘One day I’ll get to go in there to claim a big prize.’ And today is my day.”
Family traditions were everywhere. One dad has gifted Raffle tickets for 20 straight years, and this year, his child finally hit a big win. Another family shared that Raffle runs in their roots: “My father-in-law won a car playing Raffle 10 years ago. Now it’s just part of what we do every year.”
Some wins came with early-morning excitement: “I bought 18 tickets. The second-to-last one I scanned was a $20,000 winner. I checked them at 5:00 a.m. and woke up my whole family to tell them. We went out to a celebratory breakfast first thing.”
Others stumbled upon their win by surprise: “I was at the retailer the day after the winning tickets were announced. They mentioned having a big winner at the store. I went home, checked my ticket… and it was me!”
Even the smaller wins brought big smiles:
“I won $1,000 on New Year’s Eve. A perfect way to end 2025!”
“I bought three tickets, but in girl math I still won $50!”
“My biggest win used to be $50. Days like today are why I play - someone has to win!”
And then there was the New Year’s luck: “My sister told me to eat pork and cabbage for good luck on NYE. I did, and I ended up winning $50,000! First thing I did was call her and tell her she wasn’t crazy. Next year I’m taking the day off work and eating cabbage all day.”
Across every story, one theme kept shining through: possibility.
“I love the Lottery because of the possibilities.”
“I love the thrill of winning.”
“This is my biggest win yet - and I’m taking a warm-weather vacation!”
From paying off debt to stocking up on groceries, from retirement adventures to South American trips with daughters - these wins mean something different to everyone. But each one started the same way - with a ticket and a little hope that maybe, just maybe, today could be the day.
And for these winners, it was.
