MODESTO, Calif., Dec. 3 (UPI) -- A California man who won $1,000 on a scratch-off lottery ticket won a $10 million jackpot mere minutes after deciding to "let it ride."

California Lottery officials said Rodney Meadows decided to play a $30 California Lottery 30th anniversary scratcher Nov. 23 while he was running errands at the Fast Mart in Modesto and he was emboldened when he won $1,000.


Lottery officials said Meadows decided to "let it ride" and purchased three more tickets.

"[Meadows] scratched $1,000 and he came back," Fast Mart Manager Lakhvir Singh told KRCA-TV. "We had three last tickets left on that row and he said, 'give me those three too.'"

Meadows was stunned when he saw the size of his second prize: $10 million.

"First off, I could not believe it," Meadows told lottery officials. "I had to ask the clerk at the store, and he said, 'You better check it again at the machine.'"

Meadows said he plays the lottery four or five times a week and previously won $1,000 on two tickets. He said he hasn't yet decided what to do with his windfall.

Lottery officials said Meadows is the fourth person to win $10 million on a 30th anniversary ticket.