Sunday, October 26, 2014

Double the Luck for Massachusetts Man

A Massachusetts Lottery player claimed not one but two Lucky for Life prizes on Thursday.

Norwood resident, Kenneth J. Stokes was overjoyed earlier this week when he received a phone call from the Massachusetts Lottery informing him he'd won$25,000 a year for life on a season ticket he'd received as a gift. After he put down the phone, Stokes remembered he had a second ticket for the same Lucky for Life drawing. It bore the same set of numbers as his season ticket—the numbers were based on the birthdays of family members.

The double winner opted to take his prizes as two one-off lump-sum payments of $390,000, less taxes.

A lottery spokesman said it is rare for people to win twice in one drawing because players seldom use the same numbers on more than one ticket.