A Virginia woman won the lottery twice on the same day with two winning tickets for 1 million dollars each, taking her windfall gain to 2 million dollars.
Virginia Fike, a Berryville, Virginia woman resident had two tickets that matched five of the six Powerball numbers in an April 7 drawing so that each ticket was worth 1 million dollars.
“I’m in shock!” ABC News quoted Fike as saying in a news release from the Virginia lottery.
In early April, Fike stopped at an Olde Stone Truck Stop in Virginia with her numbers ready and purchased two tickets.
“I picked numbers based on my parents’ anniversary and their ages at that time, divided by the year they were married,” Fike said in the release.
“I just love the jackpot games and I play when I can afford it,” she said.
The jackpot that week was at 80 million dollars. In order to win the jackpot, the ticket holder has to match the five numbers and the sixth Powerball number.
After the drawing, it was announced that no one had won the jackpot, but 14 people nationwide had matched five of the numbers and were entitled to 1 million dollar prizes each. Two of the winning tickets were in Virginia.
Fike was in the hospital keeping her mother company.
“I saw a scroll on TV about there being two 1 million-dollar winners. I looked at my mom and said ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if it was us?’“ she said.
When she stopped by a convenience store, Fike had the clerk check her tickets and she discovered that she had won both of Virginia’s 1 million-dollar prizes.
As per Virginia state lottery rules, winners split the jackpot, regardless of how many there are, but non-jackpot prizes from matching part of the winning sequence are not split and can be won multiple times.
“It’s not that uncommon for people to buy tickets in games with the same number, but this is the biggest prize we’ve ever had in Virginia of two tickets in the same drawing,” Virginia Lottery spokesman John Hagerty said.
Fike was presented with a check for 2 million dollars on Friday at the truck stop where she purchased the ticket.
Winners in Virginia are required to come forward and be identified. She will receive 1.4 million dollars after deducting taxes.
The store also received a 20,000 dollars bonus for selling the two winning tickets.
“I must be dreaming. I look forward to helping to take care of my parents and paying some bills,” she added.