A couple in Louisiana had more than a little extra to be thankful for this year after finding a winning lottery ticket while tidying up their house before the holiday.
Harold and Tina Ehrenberg of Mandeville, La., discovered some forgotten lottery tickets this week and decided to check their luck just before their right to claim any prize expired, local NBC-affiliate station WDSU reports.
One ticket matched all of the numbers listed for the Louisiana Lottery lotto’s June 6 drawing — a $1.8 million grand prize.
“We have family coming into town for Thanksgiving, so I was cleaning up the house and found a few Lottery tickets on my nightstand that we hadn’t checked,” Tina Ehrenberg said on a trip to lotto offices Monday to claim the unexpected windfall.
The jackpot ticket would have expired two weeks later. Draw game winnings must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing, according to the lotto.
The couple ended up taking home $1,274,313 after state and federal taxes, which they said they plan to save toward retirement.
“We don’t have any plans to buy anything crazy or go on any big trips,” Tina said.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- Robert Zemeckis Just Wants to Move You
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Write to Eli Meixler at eli.meixler@time.com