A Boeing retiree, who declined to be identified by name, who resides in Belfair recently won $1,000,000 playing Washington’s Lottery Gems “Black Diamond” Scratch.

A regular Lottery player, Washington’s newest millionaire took his ticket into the Washington’s Lottery Olympia Regional Office to claim his top-prize winnings. His son and daughter, who accompanied him to the office, couldn’t be more thrilled for their dad.

“This will help pave the way for other things. It’s a security blanket,” his son said.

On Monday, March 17, the man decided to stop by his local Safeway store, after a trip to Bremerton, to purchase a Lottery ticket.

“I had three $100 bills in my pocket and decided to change one of them for twenties.” The man stated that he normally would pick two $10 games, but when he saw the $20 Gems “Black Diamond” Scratch ticket, it just felt right.

“My son has a vacation home in Southern California on Black Diamond Street and he lives near Black Diamond in Maple Valley.” In keeping with his normal routine, the man only scratched the bottom of the ticket and scanned it immediately after. “I couldn’t believe it! I gave the man in line behind me $20 to hold my place so I could find a store clerk.” Pretty soon, news started traveling around the store and then the man said it was, “congratulations and hugs all around!” Safeway staff and shoppers happily escorted the man to his truck in the parking lot.

Once in his truck, the man called his son to tell him the good news. “I won a million dollars!” Three days prior the man and his son watched the award-winning film Nebraska, about a father and son’s journey to Lincoln, Nebraska, to claim a $1 million sweepstakes prize. The man’s son replied, “I guess this means we’re going to Nebraska!” The man’s son didn’t realize that the ticket had already been validated and was skeptical of his dad’s news until actually seeing the ticket and validation slip in person a few hours later.

To celebrate his win, the man had dinner out with his son and grandsons that evening and once they were home, his son told him to make a list of all of the things he’d like to do. “I’d like to go to Hawaii. I met my wife when I was stationed there for the Navy, and my brother-in-law still lives there.” Proceeds from Washington’s Lottery benefit the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account, providing scholarships to college students statewide. To learn more about Washington’s Lottery, its beneficiaries and to review all up-to-date winning numbers, please visit www.walottery.com.