A man in Missouri, USA, forgot his lunch while going out, so he went to a store to get something to eat and ended up buying a scratch-off lottery ticket that won him a $3 million jackpot. It seems to be telling people that for those destined to win, it’s all prearranged by fate.
According to the Associated Press, the man told the Missouri Lottery that he had left his lunch at home while driving out and only found out when his wife called him to inform him.
Not wanting to return home for his lunch, the man decided to buy some food at a grocery store. He spotted a $30 “Millionaire Bucks” scratch-off lottery ticket and was drawn to it, so he bought one on the spot.
The man mentioned that he usually doesn’t buy $30 lottery tickets, but since he had previously won $60 on another scratch-off ticket, he figured, why not give it a try?
After scratching the ticket, he found out he had won the $3 million jackpot. He said, “I was very surprised. I didn’t think I would win, and then I saw all the zeros!”
His initial reaction was to call his wife and share the good news with her. However, since he enjoys joking around, it took some effort to convince his wife that he had indeed won.
In the 2024 fiscal year, players in Jefferson County won over $40.6 million in prizes from the Missouri Lottery, with retailers receiving over $3.9 million in commissions and bonuses, and more than $2.7 million from lottery sales going to educational institutions in the county.
In a separate incident in North Carolina, a lucky man named Jerry Hicks found $20 on the ground, promptly used it to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket, and ended up winning a $1 million grand prize.
Hicks, who resides in Avery County, told the North Carolina Education Lottery that he found $20 in a Speedway convenience store parking lot and used the money to purchase an “Extreme Cash” scratch-off ticket.
He mentioned, “They didn’t actually have the lottery ticket I wanted to buy, so I bought that one instead.”
One of the things he plans to do after claiming his prize is to treat his family to a nice meal.
When he went to the lottery headquarters on October 25 to claim his prize, he was given two options: to receive $600,000 in a lump sum or $50,000 annually for 20 years. He chose the lump sum. After taxes, the actual amount he will receive is $429,007.
Having worked as a carpenter for 56 years, Hicks intends to use this prize as retirement funds while also supporting his children.