Massachusetts man is lucky for two lifetimes

Oct 24, 2014, 10:29 pm (22 comments)

Massachusetts Lottery

Luck struck twice for a Norwood, Massachusetts, man who found out his lottery ticket had the winning numbers in this week's Lucky For Life drawing — then realized, minutes later, that he had another ticket with the same number.

Kenneth J. Stokes received a call from a Massachusetts State Lottery representative Monday notifying him that his Lucky for Life season ticket had won him a prize of $25,000 a year for life, according to a statement by the lottery.

After the call, Stokes realized that he had another Lucky for Life season ticket that his family had bought him — which, as it turned out, had the same lucky numbers, which were based on several family birthdays.

Christian Teja, a lottery spokesman, said it was infrequent for people to win twice in one drawing.

"For a game like this, where there's so many possible winning combinations ... people rarely buy the same ticket with the same numbers," Teja said. "They have to be really confident that those numbers will come in."

Stokes chose the cash option for his winnings, and collected a pair of checks for $390,000 each, Teja said.

According to the statement, Stokes plans to use his winnings to take his family on a vacation, pay for his son's college tuition, as well as his daughter's remaining car payments.

Stokes was "excited as most people are when they win a prize of this magnitude," Teja said.

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

Boston Globe

Comments

Sherita's avatarSherita

That's a Real Double Dip! Congrats Mr. Stokes

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Congrats to Mr. Stokes on his double win! That is amazing that he got two different tickets and won on both. Cheers

Nikkicute's avatarNikkicute

Them birthday numbers pay off!! Group Hug

RedStang's avatarRedStang

That is some crazy luck.

PrinceRene

He won all that money. He must be stoked!

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Oh no, in this case, he should have kept each as the annuity option!!!  He became disposable vacation leaning, apparently.

Disney

NearNewBrit

But there still has been NO GRAND PRIZE WINNER in the 13 months since they adopted the present format.

https://www.lotterypost.com/luckyforlife

s5thomps's avatars5thomps

Congrats! If it was me I would have taken one ticket with the lump sum and the other ticket as annual payments...nothing like having a guaranteed income stream for the rest of your life. Not enough to retire on but still a nice addition  to your income.

Dance

Mlynx1819's avatarMlynx1819

Quote: Originally posted by s5thomps on Oct 25, 2014

Congrats! If it was me I would have taken one ticket with the lump sum and the other ticket as annual payments...nothing like having a guaranteed income stream for the rest of your life. Not enough to retire on but still a nice addition  to your income.

Dance

I Agree!

Congrats Mr. Stokes

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by s5thomps on Oct 25, 2014

Congrats! If it was me I would have taken one ticket with the lump sum and the other ticket as annual payments...nothing like having a guaranteed income stream for the rest of your life. Not enough to retire on but still a nice addition  to your income.

Dance

he chose his own path and so he might come to regret it or not

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by NearNewBrit on Oct 25, 2014

But there still has been NO GRAND PRIZE WINNER in the 13 months since they adopted the present format.

https://www.lotterypost.com/luckyforlife

With only the local states participating, someone in the area winning the MM or PB jackpot is more likely to happen before that happens.

All prize amounts based on a wager of $2.

 Match   Prize Amount   Odds 
5 Numbers + Lucky Ball ($7,000 a week for life) $7,000 a week for life 1 in 41,391,714
5 Numbers ($25,000 a year for life) $25,000 a year for life 1 in 985,517
4 Numbers + Lucky Ball $3,000 1 in 217,851
4 Numbers $150 1 in 5,187
3 Numbers + Lucky Ball $100 1 in 5,888
3 Numbers $10 1 in 140
2 Numbers + Lucky Ball $20 1 in 491
2 Numbers $2 1 in 12
1 Number + Lucky Ball $5 1 in 112
Lucky Ball only $4

1 in 82

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

Quote: Originally posted by RJOh on Oct 25, 2014

With only the local states participating, someone in the area winning the MM or PB jackpot is more likely to happen before that happens.

All prize amounts based on a wager of $2.

 Match   Prize Amount   Odds 
5 Numbers + Lucky Ball ($7,000 a week for life) $7,000 a week for life 1 in 41,391,714
5 Numbers ($25,000 a year for life) $25,000 a year for life 1 in 985,517
4 Numbers + Lucky Ball $3,000 1 in 217,851
4 Numbers $150 1 in 5,187
3 Numbers + Lucky Ball $100 1 in 5,888
3 Numbers $10 1 in 140
2 Numbers + Lucky Ball $20 1 in 491
2 Numbers $2 1 in 12
1 Number + Lucky Ball $5 1 in 112
Lucky Ball only $4

1 in 82

Connecticut fares better with winning L4L then MM...we still have yet to have a grand Prize winner in that game Unhappy

myturn's avatarmyturn

The Massachusetts Lottery has a subscription service. It is open to all, you don't have to be resident in the state to participate.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Kenneth J. Stokes good job!

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