A Chinese woman who sought shelter from the rain in a lottery shop and casually bought a scratch card has won a million yuan (US$140,000), astonishing and delighting many people online.
On August 8 in Yuxi, Yunnan province, southwestern China, an unidentified woman was caught in a sudden downpour and stepped into a lottery shop in the Hongta District to take cover.
According to the store owner, the woman asked: “Do you have scratch cards here? Since I am stuck in the rain, I might as well play a little.”
Unlike weekly or daily lottery draws, scratch cards can bring an instant win that pays out on the spot. They offer players a chance to win more than one million yuan with only a modest investment.
The woman reportedly bought an entire booklet, around 30 tickets priced at 30 yuan (US$4) each, totalling 900 yuan (US$125).
To her surprise, she uncovered a one-million-yuan prize on just the sixth ticket.
“My hands and legs went weak. I never imagined this even in my dreams. Maybe it is because water brings prosperity,” she said.
The shop owner confirmed that her winnings were officially processed through standard lottery claim procedures.
In an interview with Jiupai News on August 11, the woman said that she occasionally buys scratch cards and had just finished lunch when it began to rain.
By coincidence, the lottery shop was running a promotion: “Spend 50 yuan (US$7), get 20 free; spend 1,000 yuan (US$140), get 1,000 free,” which prompted her to buy an entire booklet.
After her win, she gifted the shop owner a cash-filled red envelope and a silk banner as a gesture of appreciation.
She chose not to share the news on any social media platforms, opting instead to keep a low profile.
“I often see people winning five or ten million yuan on my feed. Compared to that, mine does not seem like a big deal,” she said, adding that her family also encouraged her to remain low key.
“One million is not much. I did not post about it. I just went back to work as usual. I do not dare to lie flat or be lazy,” she said.
The story resonated widely online, drawing comparisons to the Chinese idiom “encountering water brings fortune”.
This suggests that water symbolises wealth and good luck.
One online observer said: “The rain must have been sent by the God of Wealth!”
“If rain brings fortune, I am heading straight to a lottery shop the next time it pours!” said another.
While a third person wrote: “This is heavenly luck. I am also trying this the next time it rains.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
