California Lottery 12 Top New Millionaires 2021: Winning Numbers, Where Tickets Were Sold

CALIFORNIA — The California Lottery reported a record year in 2021, with some of the most significant potential jackpot amounts in state history. To start the year in January, the cumulative Mega Millions and Powerball nationwide jackpots were primed with more than $1 billion in prize money. By October, three major California jackpot winners would propel our lottery into one of its biggest years in history, providing community support and making millionaires in the process.

Some 95 cents of every dollar spent by players returned to the community in contributions to public education, prizes and retail compensation, according to California Lottery spokesman Jorge De La Cruz.

Over the past 12 months, California Lottery changed the lives of more than 138 people in 2021, making them instant millionaires, De La Cruz said.

Far more residents won big-ticket profits playing Scratchers than the nationwide Powerball, SuperLotto Plus or MegaMillions, according to results posted by California Lottery.

Still, the largest jackpot in state history was won in October: a $699.8 million Powerball ticket sold to a man in Morro Bay while he bought his groceries.

"2021 has been a record-setting year full of lucky winners with 138 new millionaires so far," De La Cruz said in early December. "That's more millionaires than the California Lottery has ever recorded in a single year."

However many players won on Scratchers tickets or had their lucky numbers rolled in SuperLotto, Powerball or Mega Million prize drawings, the shock and joy among winners was a common theme.

Here's a month-by-month look at the biggest winners in the 2021 Lottery.

In January, Daniel Beltran Eusebio purchased a Mega Millions winning ticket, minus the Mega number, in Brentwood. Eusebio won $2,390,663 with a ticket that matched five numbers in the Mega Millions drawing on Jan. 5. He purchased the ticket at the Chevron station at 5591 Lone Tree Way in Brentwood, Contra Costa County.

In February, Avrahom Orloff had the ultimate win after taking home the top prize of $10 million playing an Ultimate Millions Scratchers ticket. Orloff purchased his winning ticket at Redondo Market, 5156 W. Washington Blvd., in Los Angeles.

In March, Guillermo Ceja of Inglewood brought home $10 million with a winning Bankroll Scratchers ticket purchased at Kelso Ranch Market, 601 W. Kelso St., in Inglewood.

April brought a second Powerball winner to Temecula, setting a record for that city. Christopher Barto won $10 million with a $400 Million Money Mania Scratchers ticket. Barto bought the ticket at a Chevron at 8075 Monet St. in Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County.

Pedro Escobar Hernandez of Daly City scratched his way to a better life with a $10 Set for Life Scratchers ticket in May. Escobar won $20,000 a month for 25 years, or $6 million total, on a ticket purchased at 88th St. Fuels, 2428 Junipero Serra Blvd., in Daly City in San Mateo County. The retailer received a bonus of $30,000 for selling the winning ticket.

June brought Petaluma winner Sylvia Garcia, who won $10 million on an Ultimate Millions Scratchers ticket, purchased at a 7-Eleven on Lakeville Highway in Petaluma in Sonoma County.

In July, Paul Sudhan bought a ticket at the Van Nuys Tori Liquor Store and scored a win worth $62 million. The winning numbers were 15, 9, 11, 30 and 27, with a Mega Ball of 25. Sudhan couldn't believe his luck after playing the lottery for more than 30 years.

It was the first time he had ever purchased a ticket from Tori Liquor. "I work 12 hours a day, seven days a week," Sudhan said. "God gave me this opportunity, and now I can help people."

Sudhan planned to pay off debt, help his kids, take care of his family, contribute to his community and invest. As for retirement? "I don't know yet," Sudhan said.

In August, Laura Ivanoff won the SuperLotto Plus jackpot worth $14 million as an annuity or $10.2 million in cash. Laura took the cash option. The winning ticket matched the numbers 20, 39, 12, 9 and 2 and the Mega Ball of 5. The ticket was sold in Highland.

In September, several players celebrated big wins with Scratchers tickets. West Covina resident David Lafortune scored $5 million with a Scratchers ticket purchased at Jug and Jigger, 2612 E. Garvey Ave., in West Covina.

"The days I don't have to work. Later in the morning, I will go buy lottery tickets and scratch the tickets in my man cave, which is my shed," Lafortune told the California Lottery. "I got to the last line [of the ticket] and scratched it off. I couldn't believe it was $5 million." He planned to use the money for his upcoming retirement next year.

October was the most winning month in California Lottery history. Christopher Smith of Riverside Scratched his way to $1 million.

"I bought the ticket, scratched it at the store, scanned it to make sure, and then I yelled, 'One million dollars!'" he recalled. " The clerk didn't believe me, and I actually thought I was dreaming! I yelled again to wake myself up if I was."

November brought with it some thankful Thanksgiving weekend millionaires. One lucky player won on a Super Lotto Plus ticket in Santa Clarita with a prize of $38 million. The ticket matched all six winning numbers — 1, 11, 27, 31, 36 and the Mega number, 22 — and was sold at Plum Canyon Shell, 19161 Skyline Ranch Road. Plum Canyon Shell received $190,000 for selling the winning ticket.

December began with the biggest winner of the year coming forward—the man who bought a $699.8 million Powerball ticket in Morro Bay in October.

Scott Godfrey walked into a Morro Bay Albertsons, 730 Quintana Road, and purchased 10 lines of Powerball Quick Picks for $20. The small orange slip of paper he had ended up winning a jackpot on Oct. 4.

"It feels great to win big, of course, but I'm especially happy that this jackpot means $78 million was raised for California public education," Godfrey said. "Even the times I've played in the past, and didn't win, I always felt, well, at least a few bucks of this will be going to help schools."

Godfrey's winning ticket matched all six numbers — 66, 12, 22, 54, 69 and the Powerball number, 15. The odds of Godfrey winning were 1 in 292.2 million, De La Cruz said. He will enjoy his winnings in a lump sum of $496 million.

Godfrey's winning numbers were in the first of 10 lines.

"I definitely looked at it more than once and even had someone else check to make sure I wasn't just seeing things," Godfrey said.

Godfrey and his family are private people and intend to remain that way, he said. They have been involved in charitable work throughout their lives and plan to scale those efforts with their new wealth.

How Much Do The Schools Get?

With all the jackpots came money for the Golden State's schools.

In 2021, Mega Millions generated nearly $99 million to benefit public education in California. Powerball helped California generate more than $82 million for public education.

Godfrey's $699.8 million Powerball win alone earned California schools more than $78 million in supplemental funding.

Lottery Director Alva V. Johnson said that schools were the reason for the lottery program.

"The sole mission of the California Lottery is to raise extra money for California's public education programs," he said. "It's always fun to have a big winner in our state, and it's especially nice when they recognize the importance of why we do what we do. I'm proud that the Lottery has given schools more than $39 billion since we began the very first games back in 1985."