Pizza Craving Ends With $1 Million Win For Retired California Vet

Imagine going out for pizza and walking away $1 million richer—that’s exactly what happened to 72-year-old retired veteran McKinley Nelson from California.

While out with his wife, Nelson realized he needed change to leave as a tip for his pizza order. So they popped into a nearby liquor store, picked up two $20 scratch-off tickets to break a $100 bills, and scratched one in the car. That’s when it happened: instant jackpot.

“Sitting in the truck, I scratched it and thought, ‘I think this one’s a million,’” Nelson recalled. His wife, reportedly on the verge of fainting, watched as he scanned the ticket with the California Lottery app—and just like that, it was confirmed: $1 million.

A longtime lottery player, Nelson has been buying tickets since the California Lottery launched 40 years ago. Now, he and his wife plan to pay off their home, buy a camper van, and hit the road to visit family.

One minute, it was a pizza run. The next, they were living that millionaire retirement dream.