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As a documentary directed by brothers Felipe and José Isla B., Netflix’s ‘Millionaire’ (originally ‘Millonario’) explores a controversial tale of a Chilean lottery claim no one could have imagined. It was back on March 4, 2018, when the numbers of Kino Draw #2049 for 2.4 billion pesos were announced, with it being made clear that the victor had 60 days to come forward for their prize. However, somehow two different men from the same city ended up alleging they had the winning tickets – Javier Zapata as well as José Próspero Rivera – making things quite complicated.

José Rivera Has Always Believed Himself to be Rather Lucky

Although José Próspero Rivera has consistently led a private life,...

The 2025 Chilean documentary film on Netflix, Millionaire, tells the story of perhaps the unluckiest man in the country, or of the failed efforts of an ambitious conman, depending on how you perceive the tricky situation. The subject of the film is Javier Zapata, a Chilean man who won the biggest lottery in the country, 2.4 billion pesos, but could never get hold of the prize, as the authorities claimed his ticket to be a forgery. Although a bit haphazardly presented and veering off the main subject at times, Millionaire still makes for an intriguing watch and can be quite enjoyable to fans of nonfiction films.

Who is Javier Zapata?

Javier Zapata,...

In 2018, Javier Zapata made headlines when he claimed to have won the Kino lottery in Chile. What initially seemed like a life-changing moment quickly turned sour when it was revealed that his ticket was torn and could not be officially verified. Mocked by many as a “fraud,” Zapata endured years of personal struggles but continued to insist that the prize money rightfully belonged to him. Netflix’s documentary ‘Millionaire’ (originally titled ‘Millonario’) explores his controversial story, which left the nation divided.

Javier Zapata Alleged He Was Unfairly Denied the Lottery Prize Money

Javier Zapata spent most of his life in Los Ángeles, Chile, working hard on his cattle farm to make a living.