Odd events lead Calimesa couple to win $180M Mega Millions jackpot

CALIMESA, Calif. (KABC) -- Rick and Lorie Knudsen of Calimesa say their bucket list got a lot bigger after winning the $180 million Mega Millions jackpot.

"We've lived in the same house for 23 years, so we're going step it up," said Rick.

They bought the winning ticket Aug. 22 at the 7-Eleven in Calimesa, not far from their home. They discovered they had won the next weekend while staying at a timeshare in Indio with family.

"We just started hugging and screaming, the kids are hugging, the grandkids started crying," said Lorie.

According to Rick, something very strange started happening to him that led him to purchase the ticket. He said over a two-day period, whenever he would get the bill for something, like dinner for his wife, or stuff from a convenience store, it would always come out to nice round numbers -- no change required.

"Seven different times, everything came back with no change," Rick said. "So I just felt lucky."

The first line of Rick's Quick Picks contained the winning numbers.

The owners of the 7-Eleven store where the ticket was sold will get a $900,000 retailer bonus, California Lottery officials said.

The Knudsens have decided to take the lump-sum of $107 million. Rick also decided to retire from RCW Roofing, where he worked for 35 years. He broke the news to his boss and work friends during a previously-planned Alaskan fishing trip.

"It was bittersweet," Rick said.

The couple are going to give a lot of money to their church, and of course their family.

"My dad lives with us, he's 83 years old, we want to make sure he doesn't have to worry about a thing," said Lorie.

"I have a son who's a heart patient, so we're good," Rick added.

The Knudsens say they don't think the money will change them as people.

"I hope not, we're pretty grounded," Rick said. "There's nothing wrong with being grounded in a big house though."