Lucky mistake: Lottery player wins jackpot thanks to salesperson's error

A lucky lottery player in Dalian, Liaoning province, won a jackpot worth over 8.44 million yuan ($1.17 million) thanks to a typo made by the sales operator, according to the Peninsula Morning News on Tuesday.

The winning ticket, purchased at a China Welfare Lottery outlet operated by a woman surnamed Shi, matched five numbers in a single-bet selection. Shi explained it was a fortunate mistake that led to the big win.

"The customer intended to pick the red number 05, but due to my error, it was entered as 06," Shi said. "This mistake turned out to be the winning combination."

The player, who wished to remain anonymous, decided to keep the ticket despite the discrepancy. Had the correct number been chosen, the prize would have been only 3,000 yuan.

Shi's outlet, established in 2005, has seen a number of smaller wins, including eight second-place prizes. To celebrate the recent jackpot, Shi put up an archway at the entrance, attracting lottery enthusiasts hoping to share the luck.