It’s not often that a simple misunderstanding leads to a seven-figure windfall, but Paul Corcoran of Fitchburg, Massachusetts has managed just that—twice, in one go. As UPI reports, Corcoran accidentally bought two identical tickets for the July 9 Powerball drawing, each marked with the same set of lucky numbers.
Duplicate Tickets, Duplicate Prizes
The story, as outlined by both UPI and People, began when Corcoran purchased a ticket valid for seven Powerball drawings. Later, mistakenly believing his final drawing had already passed, he bought another ticket bundle, inadvertently doubling up for the same date. Both tickets bore matching numbers—5, 9, 25, 28, 69 (with the Powerball 5)—and each delivered a tidy $1 million prize.
People details that the tickets were even purchased at different locations: one from a Market Basket in Fitchburg, the other from Country Farms in Leominster. Accordingly, both retailers received a $10,000 bonus from the state. Not bad for what amounts to a duplicate grocery run.
It’s safe to say most people who double-check their tickets are hoping to find a single match, not two. The odds of winning a $1 million Powerball prize are extraordinary—a fact People highlights by calculating the overall odds at about 1 in 24.9 million, with jackpot odds at an even more daunting 1 in 292.2 million. Accidentally doing it twice, in one drawing, seems to land somewhere between “unlikely” and “statistically mischievous.”
Pragmatic Winner, Distinctive Outfit
When it came time to claim his prizes, Corcoran appeared at the Massachusetts State Lottery’s Dorchester headquarters dressed for the occasion, at least according to the impression noted in People: a money green shirt, gray newsboy cap, and black sunglasses. There’s no indication this was planned to match his new status, but it’s tempting to wonder whether the dress code for lucky days just got an update.
As for plans for the unexpected riches, Corcoran kept things refreshingly open. Both outlets quote him saying he feels good—but he hasn’t made any decisions about how to spend his winnings. For once, no promises of yachts, islands, or gold-plated lawn ornaments.
An Everyday Mistake Pays Off
This little slice of Powerball history fits neatly alongside the menagerie of improbable happenings chronicled in UPI’s odd news section—runaway sheep, wayward pythons, and, evidently, the profitable power of an everyday oversight. For every lottery player tracking numbers with spreadsheets and elaborate algorithms, there’s someone like Corcoran who wins big by simply doing what he always does, just twice by accident.
What’s the lesson here? Sometimes the most routine error can yield the best kind of surprise—no elaborate schemes required. If you found yourself twice as lucky as planned, would you even notice? Or would it take a friendly reminder from the lottery officials themselves? It’s the sort of question only chance, and perhaps a sharp-eyed store clerk, can answer.
