$1 Million CA Lottery Scratcher Bought Next to Chumash Casino Resort
Published: Aug 16, 2022
Updated: Nov 17, 2022
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians awarded a $1 million jackpot back on May 31. But it wasn’t at the tribe’s casino, Chumash Casino Resort.
It was at the neighboring gas station the tribe owns — Chumash Gas Station.
The California Lottery announced last Friday that a man known as Jason B. bought a $1 million winning California State Lottery 50X Fortune Scratcher for $10 at the Chumash Gas Station, located just 0.4 miles from Chumash Casino Resort. A tribe spokesperson told the Santa Maria Times the gas station has had a “Millionaire Made Here” sign up since mid-July.
“We are thrilled for our lucky guest who purchased the winning scratcher at the Chumash Gas Station,” John Elliott, CEO of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians told the Santa Maria Times. “We have a great partnership with the California Lottery, which has been a great source of supplemental funding for public schools throughout its history.”
The odds of winning $1 million on the California State Lottery 50X Fortune Scratcher are 1-in-1,233,033, according to the California Lottery. For comparison, the odds of being struck by lightning are 1-in-15,300, per the National Weather Service.
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Chumash Casino Resort Details
Chumash Casino Resort opened in 2004 and was recently renovated in 2016. It features 2,300 slot machines, 45 table games, a 14-table poker room, and a bingo hall — making it one of the larger California Indian casinos.
It has a higher-limits room and 115,000 square feet of gaming space, too. Beyond gambling options, it boasts a two-tower hotel with 321 rooms and a rooftop pool. There’s also eight restaurants and bars, plus a a 1,400-seat entertainment venue.
The casino is in Santa Ynez, California, located 30 miles northwest of Santa Barbara. It is the only casino in Santa Barbara County, which is home to 448,656 residents, according to the most recent US Census data. There is also a small, four-table poker room in Guadalupe, the Jalisco Pool Room, but it is currently not operating.
Matthew Bain
Matthew Bain started as News Editor and Content Manager at California Casinos in 2022. Before that, he spent six years as a sports reporter and then deputy sports editor for the Des Moines Register, during which time he won nine statewide journalism awards, including the Genevieve Mauck Stoufer Outstanding Young Iowa Journalists Award. As deputy sports editor, Matthew oversaw the Register’s recruiting coverage while also innovating the outlet’s high school sports coverage. Matthew graduated from San Diego State and grew up in California, but he’s somehow a Boston Celtics fan. Long story.