In a stroke of unbelievable luck, a man from Massachusetts has walked away with two separate $1 million Powerball prizes—all from the same drawing.
Paul Corcoran, a resident of Fitchburg, purchased two tickets for the July 9 Powerball draw each with the exact same numbers. But this wasn’t a calculated gamble; it was a happy accident. Corcoran had already bought a multi-draw ticket for several upcoming games. Mistakenly thinking it had expired, he bought another ticket with the same number combination—this time from a different store.
When the numbers came in 5, 9, 25, 28, 69 (missing only the Powerball) Corcoran realized he had hit the $1 million “Match 5” prize not once, but twice.
One ticket was purchased at a Market Basket in Fitchburg, the other at Country Farms in nearby Leominster. Both retailers will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning tickets.
Corcoran claimed his prize at the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters and expressed a calm demeanor, stating he had no immediate plans for the $2 million windfall.
The odds of winning a single $1 million Powerball “Match 5” prize are about 1 in 11.7 million making this double win a truly rare and remarkable event.
This story reminds us that sometimes, a little mistake can turn into a life-changing jackpot.