Couple discover lotto win 45 days later

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., May 7 (UPI) -- A California man says he found an old lottery ticket in his wife's car that turned out to be worth $198,468.

The Orange County couple, who asked to remain anonymous, said the woman purchased a Mega Millions ticket at a Fountain Valley, Calif., liquor store only to leave it in her car and quickly forget about it, The Orange County Register reported Wednesday.

The woman's husband said he was cleaning out her ca 45 days after the drawing when he came across three old lottery tickets. He said he decided to take them to a local retailer to see if they were worth any money.

"One ticket was worth $1, another was worth $3, and when the retailer told me that one was worth $198,468, I couldn't believe it. I ran home to tell my wife," the man said.

The ticket matched five of the six numbers required to win the March 21 jackpot.

The woman said she already has plans for at least some of the money.

"My husband told me that he wants me to get rid of everything in my closet and treat myself to a new wardrobe," she told lottery officials.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International