Virginia man wins $250,000 twice in three months

Jun 6, 2008, 5:58 pm (24 comments)

Mega Millions

Lottery lightning strikes twice for Chesterfield man

When he won in the February 22, 2008, Mega Millions drawing, he joked with Virginia Lottery officials, "I'll see you next time."  Little did he know, there really would be a next time.

Three months later, the same lucky lottery player was back at Lottery headquarters with another Mega Millions ticket worth $250,000.

When asked about his amazing luck, Mr. Branch replied, "I really can't explain it!"

Lightning struck twice for Kevin Branch of Chesterfield, Virginia, who claimed his second $250,000 Mega Millions prize in three months.

Mr. Branch matched the first five numbers in the May 20, 2008, Mega Millions drawing.  He bought the winning ticket at Hull Street BP/Amoco, located at 8211 Hull Street Road in Richmond.

The winning numbers for that drawing were 2-14-26-32-41 and the Mega Ball was 32.

The win occurred just two days before Mr. Branch and his wife celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary with a trip to Myrtle Beach.

Other Mega Millions winning tickets

Lawrenceville mayor wins $250,000 in lottery

Call him the mayor of Easy Street.

Rex Millsaps, mayor of Lawrenceville, Georgia, hit the lottery Friday for a quarter million dollars.

"I wasn't playing the lottery," Millsaps joked Wednesday. "I was supporting the HOPE scholarship."

Millsaps, 57, plans to give the winnings to his children and grandchildren after paying for his youngest daughter Karla's wedding — and getting his pickup truck detailed.

Millsaps' day job is accounting. Though he's often called to handle city affairs, work as mayor is technically part time and pays $800 a month.

He's not quitting either job. In fact, he plans to run for re-election in November — with a huge campaign war chest, he said.

The mayor bought a Mega Millions ticket a few weeks ago when the grand prize momentarily soared over $100 million. He matched only one of six numbers, but it was the Mega Ball number and brought $2 in winnings. Millsaps parlayed the small win into two more tickets.

Last Saturday morning, Millsaps was on the phone at work with his wife, Sheila, when he checked the numbers online and noticed he had matched the first four digits of the Mega Millions drawing. Then he saw it was actually the first five numbers.

"She didn't believe me," he said. "I ended up taking it back to the store, and the computer said to go immediately to the lottery office."

The winning numbers were 39-40-47-53-55 and the Mega Ball was 32. Millsaps' Mega Ball number was 34. Nobody hit all six numbers, which would have been worth $16 million.

Lawrenceville Mayor Rex Millsaps matched the first five numbers of the Mega Millions drawing Friday."If it was 32," he said of his Mega Ball pick, "I really would have quit."

Millsaps served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1983 to 1984 and the Gwinnett County Merit System Board from 1995 to 2006. He was elected mayor in 2006.

Millsaps said he has only shared the news with close friends and family for the past few days. Lawrenceville City Council member Bob Clark first learned of the mayor's good fortune Wednesday afternoon.

"Well good for him," Clark said. "That's great. Somebody I know finally won."

Millsaps is not the first elected official to win the lottery in Georgia.

On June 29, 2004, Fayette County Sheriff Randall Johnson picked five of six numbers in the Mega Millions drawing of the Georgia Lottery. He won $175,000. The next day, Johnson went back to the same convenience store where he purchased the Mega Millions tickets, bought two Cash 4 tickets and won $5,400.

$140,000 Mega Millions ticket waiting to be claimed

Maybe it's the California weather, but it looks like Lady Luck might be hanging around Fountain Valley, at least when it comes to the Mega Millions multistate lottery.

For the second time this year, someone who purchased a ticket in the city came close to winning the grand prize in the Mega Millions draw Tuesday night, when the jackpot was worth $25 million.

The winning ticket, purchased at the 7-Eleven at 16475 Harbor Blvd., scored five of the six numbers required to win and is worth $140,719. The prize has yet to be claimed, according to lottery officials.

The winning numbers for Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing were 4, 19, 24, 32, 54 and the mega number was 5

"It's great!" said Manjeet Ghuman, the owner of the store.

Ghuman said she sold a Fantasy Five ticket worth almost $26,000 several weeks ago at another of her store locations, at Bushard Street and Garfield Avenue. Since then, she said, she's seen an increase in the number of customers coming into that store.

"I'll probably see more sales for the lottery and more customers," Ghuman said, adding that this may be the largest prize ever won from any of her stores.

The latest win was preceded by another in March, when a ticket worth $198,469 was bought from American Liquor on Magnolia Street.

The woman who won that prize had left the ticket sitting in the car, and didn't discover it until 45 days later when she sent her husband to clean out the car.

Winners have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize. Any unclaimed prize is added to the lottery's contribution to California schools.

Lottery officials encourage players who have a winning ticket to sign the back of their ticket, keep it in a safe place and contact lottery officials or visit a local district office as soon as possible.

There is a state lottery office at 3400 W. Warner Ave., Suite F, in Santa Ana. It can be reached at 714-708-0540.

The next Mega Millions lottery drawing is Friday, which has an estimated jackpot of $36 million.

Thanks to Konane and DC81 for the tips

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

MaddMike51

Congrats to the lucky winners!I'm hoping to hit tonight.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

When he won in the February 22, 2008, Mega Millions drawing, hejoked with Virginia Lottery officials, "I'll see you next time." Little did he know, there really would be a next time.

Three months later, the same lucky lottery player was back atLottery headquarters with another Mega Millions ticket worth $250,000.

He was very lucky indeed!

sweetbitterkiss's avatarsweetbitterkiss

i need some of that luck

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by sweetbitterkiss on Jun 6, 2008

i need some of that luck

No Pity!U and me both...heck I'd be happy just to win the $10k prizeRoll Eyes

bytheshore

Lucky guy!  Reminds me of this story -

https://www.lotterypost.com/news/151075

 

"The winning ticket, purchased at the 7-Eleven at 16475 Harbor Blvd., scored five of the six numbers required to win and is worth $140,719."

Ugh!  California's pari-mutuel.  Over $100,000 less than everyone else who got 5 out of 6.

ohiopick3's avatarohiopick3

Nice wins for Mr Branch! Keep it going, you are on a roll!

And have some really good fun with the cash!

Think's avatarThink

Milsaps....Hmmm somebody named Milsap or Milsaps recently popped up as a winner in Michigan.  Also the name Weatherwax seems to have popped up a few times recently in the winners news in Michigan.

Maybe I should change my name to Milsaps WeatherwaxWink

Piaceri

Congrats to the winners - double congrats to the double winner.

 

Wasn't it last year that a lady in Michigan played her MM numbers thinking she hadn't bought them yet for the drawing.  She had been playing the same set of numbers for years.  Well, turns out that she wound up with two tickets of identical numbers for the same draw.  Those had hit 5 numbers on MM - and got $250k for each of the two tickets.  I can't find the story, only the photo on the MI lottery website.

ThatScaryChick's avatarThatScaryChick

Quote: Originally posted by Piaceri on Jun 6, 2008

Congrats to the winners - double congrats to the double winner.

 

Wasn't it last year that a lady in Michigan played her MM numbers thinking she hadn't bought them yet for the drawing.  She had been playing the same set of numbers for years.  Well, turns out that she wound up with two tickets of identical numbers for the same draw.  Those had hit 5 numbers on MM - and got $250k for each of the two tickets.  I can't find the story, only the photo on the MI lottery website.

That story sounds familiar. There is another one where a woman in Canada buys two tickets for the same drawing using her dream numbers and wins.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

Wow!  Congrats to the winner!

This might be odd to bring up, but today I was at the market and told a customer has won the Fantasy 5 jackpot several times and I said I don't believe it.  Then I read this story, so who knows?  At one of the smaller Publix markets they always tell people that a woman has won the Fantasy 5 jackpot 5 or 6 times.  When I told the clerk I don't believe it, she answered "Well, that's what she tells us." 

I know that store has sold 2 Lotto winners ($3M and $7M) but with 377 to 1 odds, it's difficult to believe one player has won Fant-5 so many times without reading about it in the news. 

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by ThatScaryChick on Jun 7, 2008

That story sounds familiar. There is another one where a woman in Canada buys two tickets for the same drawing using her dream numbers and wins.

I had forgotten about that story.  Nice job digging it up.  That was an amazing story.

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

good god  WHY CAN"T I JUST WIN ONCE?!?!? lol

mken32's avatarmken32

That's Great Good for him.... I will win the florida lottery tonight plus the twenty-five million on a quick pick

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

Quote: Originally posted by mken32 on Jun 7, 2008

That's Great Good for him.... I will win the florida lottery tonight plus the twenty-five million on a quick pick

nope that's mine LOL

RJOh's avatarRJOh

When asked about his amazing luck, Mr. Branch replied, "I really can't explain it!"

I wonder if he thought he could, would he even try?  I would like to know if picked his numbers a certain way, played some family birthdays or just bought some QPs.

mken32's avatarmken32

Quote: Originally posted by GamerMom on Jun 7, 2008

nope that's mine LOL

to late I've claim it thank you for trying

Pogo's avatarPogo

Great story - what luck!!! Congrats, Pogo

MillionsWanted's avatarMillionsWanted

That's one lucky fellow. Now it's my turn!

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Jun 7, 2008

Wow!  Congrats to the winner!

This might be odd to bring up, but today I was at the market and told a customer has won the Fantasy 5 jackpot several times and I said I don't believe it.  Then I read this story, so who knows?  At one of the smaller Publix markets they always tell people that a woman has won the Fantasy 5 jackpot 5 or 6 times.  When I told the clerk I don't believe it, she answered "Well, that's what she tells us." 

I know that store has sold 2 Lotto winners ($3M and $7M) but with 377 to 1 odds, it's difficult to believe one player has won Fant-5 so many times without reading about it in the news. 

"Well, that's what she tells us." 

Um, yeah, sure. I've been behind plenty of people who are buying $30 to $50 worth of tickets, and whenever someone asks they all claim to win "all the time." It's enough to make you wonder how the lottery stays in business.

LckyLary

Why is the first post always "congrats to the winner"? Just once, how about "#*(^@! it should have been me!!! I'm paying $4 gas here!!! I need the $$$ so I can go buy a Prius and maybe some Carbon Credits!!!*"

It's very easy to get the first 5 numbers. Play a full wheel of the numbers from the first odd number to the last even number. It's a few numbers to play, but can be covered by selling your house. For the bonus ball, play all the yellow balls, as in the last several drawings the bonus ball has been yellow.

*The first sign of the End Times is when the Lottery jackpot is advertised as "25 Million Carbon Credits"!

GamerMom's avatarGamerMom

Quote: Originally posted by LckyLary on Jun 9, 2008

Why is the first post always "congrats to the winner"? Just once, how about "#*(^@! it should have been me!!! I'm paying $4 gas here!!! I need the $$$ so I can go buy a Prius and maybe some Carbon Credits!!!*"

It's very easy to get the first 5 numbers. Play a full wheel of the numbers from the first odd number to the last even number. It's a few numbers to play, but can be covered by selling your house. For the bonus ball, play all the yellow balls, as in the last several drawings the bonus ball has been yellow.

*The first sign of the End Times is when the Lottery jackpot is advertised as "25 Million Carbon Credits"!

MY thoughts EXACTLY!!!!!  i'm all for "don't hate, congratulate" but dang.  I don't own a house or a paid off car. that should be ME.  I feel that way especially when I see those people who are already loaded (a pharmacist, even) win millions.  makes me want to choke somebody.  but, that is the way the game rolls, anybody can win, a homeless man or donald trump.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

Actually if he missed by one number twice, I would consider that very "unlucky." Compare $500,000 to what the two jackpots would have been. Now that would be lucky.

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

$275,000,000 + 12,000,000 = $287,000,000

Missing ONE number both times cost him about $286,750,000 million dollars. You call that lucky? That is a HUGE difference in lifestyle.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

Quote: Originally posted by LckyLary on Jun 9, 2008

Why is the first post always "congrats to the winner"? Just once, how about "#*(^@! it should have been me!!! I'm paying $4 gas here!!! I need the $$$ so I can go buy a Prius and maybe some Carbon Credits!!!*"

It's very easy to get the first 5 numbers. Play a full wheel of the numbers from the first odd number to the last even number. It's a few numbers to play, but can be covered by selling your house. For the bonus ball, play all the yellow balls, as in the last several drawings the bonus ball has been yellow.

*The first sign of the End Times is when the Lottery jackpot is advertised as "25 Million Carbon Credits"!

It's very easy to get the first 5 numbers. Play a full wheel of the numbers from the first odd number to the last even number.

Sounds like a plan, play all 3,819,816 combinations in a 5/56 wheel and at worst match a 5+0 for $250K, two hundred  and  fifty-five 4+0 for almost another $40K and win numerous other small prizes.  You might not come out ahead but you'll have a lot people saying "that should have been me".

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