A man from Washington, D.C., has claimed his second $500,000 winning Lucky for Life lottery jackpot prize in two months. The sums were both won from the same August 12 drawing.
Lottery officials were shocked to see Philip H., 57, return to the Washington Lottery HQ in the Anacostia neighborhood in southeast Washington, having bid farewell to him after he claimed a $500,000 win the prior month.
That’s when Philip revealed he was in possession of another winning ticket for the same draw. He had not previously disclosed this to the lottery officials when claiming his first win, as he thought the second ticket was lost. But then he found it again a month later.
Philip was photographed for the D.C Lottery posing in comic dollar sign glasses as he claimed his second big win of the month.
“After searching through old tickets, I found it and let out a big sigh of relief,” Phillip said.
“I always get two tickets, and I always pick my own numbers. That’s my winning strategy. I saw that the first ticket was a winner but couldn’t find the other ticket.”
The Surprise Win
Phillip won the August 12 D.C. lottery Lucky for Life draw with two tickets he purchased at a Mobil gas station on Pennsylvania Avenue in Anacostia.
He followed the unorthodox but not unheard of practice of buying two lottery tickets with the same numbers. Those numbers were 3, 6, 17, 24, and 35, with Lucky Ball 2.
However, the strategy seemed like it wouldn’t pay off as much as he hoped, as he lost the second ticket. He claimed the first prize without mentioning the lost second winner to lottery officials, only to find it a month later.
Philip said he plans on spending the total $1 million lump sum payment on a new truck and renovating his house. He also said he will continue his volunteer work and contribute to local causes.
Lottery Accidents
Earlier in 2024, a couple from Annapolis, Maryland, also won a $1 million lottery jackpot twice, having bought two tickets with the same numbers. The married couple in this case didn’t intend to do so, as they usually went for different numbers with each ticket. But it ended up as a two million-dollar fortunate mistake.
Those are all big wins, but not many people can be as lucky as Wayne Murray of New York. The Brooklyn, New York, resident hit a $10 million scratch-off jackpot win in 2022, and then he defied the odds a second time to do it again in 2023.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.