Estuardo Gomez Diaz was about to go Christmas shopping when he discovered he had won $20,000 in the Mega Millions lottery.
The 52-year-old said he was shocked when he realized he had matched four out of five numbers plus the Mega Ball. His son confirmed the win for him.
Diaz didn’t win the jackpot of $862 million but still managed to double his prize to $20,000 by adding the Megaplier option to his ticket.
He bought the ticket in Le Mars, Iowa, and described the moment as the happiest experience of his life. He plans to use the money for home improvements and maybe a trip to Guatemala.
“I’m overwhelmed with happiness and joy,” he said.
The Mega Millions jackpot for the next drawing on Friday is worth about $1.15 billion.