The Lotto Matrix: Multiple Millionaires In Massachusetts, Lottery Beats Casino, Seeing Double, And More

Welcome to this week’s “Lotto Matrix,” a weekly Friday compilation of the lottery industry’s most significant, interesting, or absurd happenings.

Massachusetts scratchers mint two millionaires in same week

Two Massachusetts residents struck gold last week, each winning a $10 million prize from separate Massachusetts State Lottery scratch ticket games. The lucky winners, hailing from different parts of the state, walked away with their newfound wealth from the $10,000,000 Cash King and $10,000,000 Cash Blast instant games.

The first prize was claimed by Moneybags Capital Trust, based in Quincy, which took home the top prize from the $10,000,000 Cash King game. Represented by David Spillane, the trust opted for a one-time payment of $6.5 million before taxes, choosing to cash in on the instant win rather than taking the prize in annual installments.

That same day, Michael Fitzgerald, a chef from Boylston, won his own $10 million prize from the $10,000,000 Cash Blast game. Like the Moneybags Capital Trust, Fitzgerald also chose to receive the lump sum payout of $6.5 million before taxes. Fitzgerald explained that he had picked the Cash Blast game after noticing that big prizes were still available, and it turned out to be a winning choice.

Both games offer players the chance to win massive sums instantly. The $10,000,000 Cash King game is a popular scratch ticket where players need to match their numbers to one of the ticket’s winning numbers. If “100X” appears under one of the options, the prize becomes 100 times the winning amount, and the top prize is $10 million.

The $10,000,000 Cash Blast works the same way, with the same 100X option and a $10 million jackpot.

Saying no to casino trip pays off

A South Carolina man’s business trip to Michigan turned into a life-changing moment after a fortunate decision led him to win big on a lottery ticket. Michael Buckner, 58, found himself torn between two choices: visiting a casino or purchasing instant lottery tickets. He opted for the latter, and the decision paid off.

“I live in South Carolina, but I work in Escanaba,” Buckner shared. “I was trying to decide between going to the casino or buying instant tickets and ended up deciding to buy instant tickets.” His choice led him to purchase a $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier scratch-off ticket at a store in Gladstone, Michigan, about 10 miles from where he works.

As he scratched off the ticket, Buckner was in disbelief when he saw the numbers align for a $2 million prize. “When I scratched off the $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier game and saw I won $2 million, I didn’t think it was real,” Buckner said. “I called my girlfriend to tell her what I won, but she didn’t believe it, either. It still hasn’t fully sunk in.”

After realizing his good fortune was, in fact, real, Buckner visited the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. Like many winners, he opted to receive his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment, which amounted to approximately $1.3 million before taxes.

A Ravens rave

Four Baltimore Ravens fans experienced an unforgettable day recently, thanks to the Maryland Lottery’s 2024 Ravens second-chance promotion. The lucky winners – Andrew Diefes, Marc Friend Sr., Jackson Hall, and Clarence Morris – were each awarded a $500 shopping spree at the Ravens team store, along with club-level season tickets to Ravens home games.

Ravens mascot Poe and the Ravens Cheerleaders met the winners at the store. Decked out in team gear and brimming with enthusiasm, the fans got to indulge in their love for the Lamar Jackson-led squad while choosing some memorabilia and swag to bring home.

Diefes entered the second-chance promotion without expecting much, but was stunned when he received the call from the Maryland Lottery. “I was like, ‘I’ll give it a shot, maybe I’ll win, maybe I won’t win,’ and then I got a call from [the Maryland Lottery], who told me the great, exciting news,” Diefes said in comments to local media outlet WBAL. His casual decision to enter the contest turned into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy Ravens games from prime seats.

There are still several prizes up for grabs, including the chance to win season tickets for 20 years, $10,000 in cash, and a trip to New York to watch the Ravens face the New York Giants on December 15.

Déjà vu

In what could only be described as a rare – but not impossible – occurrence, the Ohio Lottery Pick 4 game drew the exact same numbers in two consecutive drawings. On October 2, during the evening draw, the numbers 6-9-9-4 were selected. Any player who matched those numbers in exact order with a $1 wager won the game’s top prize of $5,000.

However, the very next day for the October 3 midday draw, the same sequence of numbers — 6-9-9-4 — was drawn again, in the exact same order. The odds of such a repeat occurrence are high, considering the randomness typically associated with lottery games. However, because the numbers are chosen randomly, any combination is possible at any time.

Best of the rest

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A cool $5 million in Pennsylvania: Scratch-off ticket worth $5 million sold at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows

$2 becomes $3M in Colorado: Man wins $3.1 million on $2 Colorado Lottery game

Check the prize box and see you next week!