Luck struck an Illinois man when he was wrongly charged for a lottery ticket at a store in Michigan. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed that the store clerk’s error led to his winning a prize worth $25,000 a year for life from the Michigan Lottery.
The man had planned to purchase only a pack of gum, but somehow ended up with a lottery ticket as well. Unaware of the lucky card he was holding onto, the man went about his day, never anticipating what was to come.
It wasn’t until a few days later that the man checked his numbers and realised he was in possession of a ticket winning him $25,000 per year for the rest of his life. And all thanks to the store clerk’s error.
“I guess they say that mistakes can lead to unexpected outcomes, and boy, were they right,” the man said in a statement that oozed with excitement.
The Michigan Lottery officials were quick to label this as an “unbelievable” occurrence, but were quick to point out that these sorts of errors happen all the time. “It’s just that not everybody is as lucky as this man to win $25,000 a year for the rest of their lives,” a spokesperson for the lottery said.
The store clerk responsible for the error was not available for comment, but was reportedly seen smiling widely and high-fiving fellow coworkers upon hearing the news.
The Illinois man, who is already retired, stated that he is not yet sure what he would do with all the money. When asked if he would perhaps consider donating some of it, the man replied, “I might donate some, but I might also just let it sit in the bank and collect some interest. It’s not like I have any heirs to leave it to anyway.”
The news of the man’s win has caused quite a stir on social media, with many jumping at the chance to try and replicate the same mistake made by the store clerk. “If buying a pack of gum can lead to a lifetime of riches, I’ll take ten,” one Twitter user wrote.
However, experts warn that trying to replicate the same situation is not a sound financial strategy, and that buying lottery tickets should be done responsibly and within one’s means.
As for the man himself, he says he is just grateful for the serendipitous incident that has changed his life forever. “I guess it pays to be a little absent minded sometimes,” he laughed.
