Friends Win $1.5 Million On Lottery Ticket Bought In Napa

NAPA, CA — A lottery ticket purchased in Napa has given two longtime friends something else to talk about besides their beloved San Francisco Giants. Napa resident Robert Dong and San Francisco resident Michael Brisbin have been friends since high school and for much of that time have been pooling their money to buy lottery tickets when jackpots reach a certain threshold.

Dong recalls the scene inside his Napa home the moment he realized a Quick Pick Mega Millions ticket he purchased Dec. 10 at a Napa 7-Eleven store was worth $1.5 million.

"I was screaming like nobody’s business," Dong said. "My wife thought something was wrong. So, I phoned, yelling and screaming, trying to get a hold of Mike."

Brisbin said he was at home, too, but in San Francisco, and recalled receiving the exciting news from his longtime friend.

"When he called and said we won $1.5 million, I said, 'you’re kidding me, right!?'"

We all know by now Dong was not kidding: one of the friends' Quick Pick® tickets successfully matched the winning numbers 61-46-54-18, and 31, missing only the Mega number 25.

They will split the prize of $1,524,986 (before taxes), California Lottery officials said in a Jan. 21 news release.

Although it is far from the $314-million jackpot up for grabs that night, the friends say winning the money is a relief.

Brisbin plans to pay off debts.

"It's a huge weight off my shoulders," lucky winner Brisbin said. "I'm getting goosebumps just talking about it."

Dong said he thought he would never be able to retire, but that changed that night.

It also gave the two friends a memory they are not likely to forget.

"It's just one more unbelievable experience we will talk about when we’re 90 years old," Brisbin said.

The store where the ticket was purchased, 7-Eleven at 2906 First St. in Napa, will receive a retailer bonus of $7,625 just for selling the winning ticket— a bonus that according to California Lottery officials, is not subtracted from the winners' prize.