2 Valley men become millionaires after buying winning lottery tickets

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two Valley men on opposite ends of the Valley have one thing in common - they've both suddenly become millionaires.

In the North Valley, Ramon Gonzalez got his $5 million jackpot from a Golden State Riches Scratchers ticket he picked up at Cressey Store in Merced County.

In the South Valley, Armando Hernandez Robles won $2 million after scratching an Instant Prize Crossword Scratchers he bought at Pixley Gas in Tulare County.

Cressey Store owner Indarpal Mann chuckled and said, "It puts us on the map."

Creesey, California, is a small town of approximately 400 people, with a train track running right through the city.

This Cressey store is owned by the Manns - a family trying to stay afloat in this challenging economy, but now they have a winning ticket making this little town feel big.

Each store will earn a bonus for selling the winning ticket. The Cressey store will get $25,000 which they hope to use for renovations. Pixley Gas will get a $10,000 bonus.

Mann said, "We get something out of it. It definitely helps the business - it definitely helps the lottery sales. A lot of people have been buying the bigger priced tickets."

Richard Sears stops in twice a day. He said he just wasn't lucky that day.

"I try and play the same numbers all the time, hoping that sooner or later it will hit like that. I've won like maybe two to five dollars and the mega number but nothing big," Spears said.

He left the store with Pacman Scratchers. He said, "I got one of each".

Throughout the store, there were signs that read 'Millionaire Made Here'.

Where luck struck in two small towns, Richard Holsapple said he literally missed out on a fortune by minutes. Holsapple walked through the door and said, "I was that close to being a millionaire."

Holsapple told ABC30 he lives next and was almost the winner of that lucky ticket.

"Sergey told me...he goes 'Hey a guy just won 5 million.' I go, 'No way - on what?' "He got the Bear ticket". I go, 'No way ...that's the ticket that I passed up.' And he bought that ticket right after me," said Holsapple.

Now the hope is that this luck doesn't run out. Mann said, "Hopefully we get more winners."

According to the California Lottery, its employees continue to serve an essential government function, providing supplemental funding to the state's public schools, colleges, and universities. The California Lottery is celebrating its 35th anniversary this month, highlighting the more than $37 billion raised for public education since October of 1985.