Virginia woman wins $1 million lottery twice in the same day

Apr 24, 2012, 6:56 am (43 comments)

Powerball

Winning the lottery once in a lifetime is pretty lucky. Winning the lottery twice in the same day? Virginia Fike is one of the few people that can describe that feeling.

The Berryville, Va., resident had two tickets that matched five of the six Powerball numbers in an April 7 drawing so that each ticket was worth $1 million.

"I'm in shock!" Fike said in a news release from the Virginia lottery.

In early April, Fike stopped at an Olde Stone Truck Stop in Virginia with her numbers ready and purchased two tickets.

"I picked numbers based on my parents' anniversary and their ages at that time, divided by the year they were married," Fike said in the release. "I just love the jackpot games and I play when I can afford it."

The jackpot that week was at $80 million. In order to win the jackpot, the ticket holder has to match the five numbers and the sixth Powerball number.

After the drawing, it was announced that no one had won the jackpot, but 14 people nationwide had matched five of the numbers and were entitled to $1 million prizes each. Two of the winning tickets were in Virginia.

Fike was in the hospital keeping her mother company.

"I saw a scroll on TV about there being two $1 million winners. I looked at my mom and said 'Wouldn't it be funny if it was us?'" she said.

When she stopped by a convenience store, Fike had the clerk check her tickets and she discovered that she had won both of Virginia's $1 million prizes.

Per Virginia state lottery rules, winners split the jackpot, regardless of how many there are, but non-jackpot prizes from matching part of the winning sequence are not split and can be won multiple times.

"It's not that uncommon for people to buy tickets in games with the same number, but this is the biggest prize we've ever had in Virginia of two tickets in the same drawing," Virginia Lottery spokesman John Hagerty told ABC News.

Fike was presented with a check for $2 million on Friday at the truck stop where she purchased the ticket. Winners in Virginia are required to come forward and be identified. She will receive $1.4 million after taxes. The store also received a $20,000 bonus for selling the two winning tickets.

For now, Virginia's newest millionaire is basking in her shocking win.

"I must be dreaming," Fike said. "I look forward to helping to take care of my parents and paying some bills."

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

ABC News

Comments

mcginnin56

Old news, already posted two days ago on lottery discussion forums.   Sleep      LOL

LottoGuyBC's avatarLottoGuyBC

"It's not that uncommon for people to buy tickets in games with the same number, but

this is the biggest prize we've ever had in Virginia of two tickets in the same drawing," Virginia Lottery spokesman John Hagerty told ABC News.

the only times I buy multiple tickets with the same numbers is IF

I thought I haven't yet bought tickets for the draw

of course, it's definately nice to win $1M twice

Congrats to the Winner Cheers

Ahkenaten

Wow. I love reading these stories of winners at this site!

 

Congrats!!!

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

Congrats to Ms. Fike

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Cool!

Congrats to the lucky lady.

faber98

technically it is not winning the lottery "twice in the same day". she only won one lottery but had it two times. it would have to be the "same day" so that is oxymoronic. i just hope she used 2 different powerball numbers otherwise she would have split the jackpot with herself if that came in. i wish she could explain better how she picked the numbers. her parents age and the anniversary date gives you 3 numbers. how do you divide those by the year they were married? that would give you 4 numbers. what is the 5th and what did she use for a powerball number(s). quite confusing and convulted to say the least. but she did it and deserves credit for playing it twice providing she actually did use 2 different powerball numbers.

faber98

the numbers for powerball on 4/7 were 5 13 17 20 30. i'm going to assume that a 30 year old married a 20 year old on either the 5th 13th or 17th. that gives you either 67 63 or 55 to divide by the year they were married. judging from her age it would have to be 50 to 60 years ago which would be ball park 55-65 the year they got hitched. try dividing that into 67 63 or 55 and how do you get the 4th number. where did the 5th number come from? nitpicking but any ideas?

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

"When she stopped by a convenience store, Fike had the clerk check her tickets and she discovered that she had won both of Virginia's $1 million prizes."

Well she dodged a bullet on that one.

I wonder if she even knows how close she came to disaster.

DAMEDYLAN

That woman is not only lucky she is blessed. I sincerly hope she enjoys her wealth

ekem6078's avatarekem6078

Now that's whats up!!! Congrads Ms. Fikes,  this Buds for youCheers

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 24, 2012

"When she stopped by a convenience store, Fike had the clerk check her tickets and she discovered that she had won both of Virginia's $1 million prizes."

Well she dodged a bullet on that one.

I wonder if she even knows how close she came to disaster.

I was just getting ready to comment on that too. $2 million worth of lottery tickets and she hands them unsigned to a clerk. She was very lucky she handed them to an honest clerk.

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Apr 24, 2012

Old news, already posted two days ago on lottery discussion forums.   Sleep      LOL

Memo to Todd: Please refrain from posting lottery news items in the Lottery News Forum that were posted in the Discussion Forum; it apparently confuses mcginnin56!

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Apr 24, 2012

Memo to Todd: Please refrain from posting lottery news items in the Lottery News Forum that were posted in the Discussion Forum; it apparently confuses mcginnin56!

Memo to Stack47:  Youv'e always been confusing since you started posting here six years ago.   Crazy    It's OK though, someone has to be.   LOL

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Apr 24, 2012

"When she stopped by a convenience store, Fike had the clerk check her tickets and she discovered that she had won both of Virginia's $1 million prizes."

Well she dodged a bullet on that one.

I wonder if she even knows how close she came to disaster.

Are you thinking of Patel? haha its been a while since we've had an article of a Patel getting caught doing his thing. Maybe Patel has been reading lotterypost and knows that we know about him and so he has decided to lay low.

Subscribe to this news story