Eric Rubenstein was looking for a new career path and like many people, he felt a good place to sit and apply for jobs was at the local Starbucks.
Rubenstein used to always go to the same location to sit and work on his applications, but one Friday morning, he got a late start and the location he usually goes to was too busy. He decided to try another location but on his way there, he explained, “I got a splitting headache so I stopped at a nearby CVS to get some Advil.”
That detour changed his and his family’s lives forever, because while there, he bought one of the California Lottery’s newest Scratchers games, a $5,000,000 Platinum Payout. Once in the car, he scratched it and became California’s newest multi-millionaire by scratching off the top prize of $200,000 per year for 25 years for a total of $5 million. After double-checking it was in fact a winner, then it was time for some fun.
Rubenstein decided to surprise his wife with the news. When she got home, he said, “I have a surprise for you!” He gave her a beautifully wrapped box, and inside it was another box, and inside that, another box, and so on and so on. Finally, inside the last box was the winning ticket. She was astonished. The couple plans to invest, donate to charity, buy a house and contribute to their kids’ education funds.
Rubenstein purchased the winning ticket at the CVS location at 2505 Santa Monica Boulevard. The retailer will be receiving a retailer bonus of $25,000 just for selling the winning $5 million ticket.
The $5,000,000 Platinum Payout Scratchers game has a top prize amount of $200,000 per year for 25 years for a total of $5 million (winners also have the option of taking a lump sum cash payment of $2.9 million before federal taxes) and are part of the Lottery’s continued effort to give out more prizes, create more winners and earn more money for California public education.
— Submitted by Alex Traverso and Cathy Doyle Johnston, California Lottery
