The Lotto Matrix: A Modern Way To Win Millions, Persistence Pays Off, And More

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

Hitting the jackpot (dot com)

Jackpot.com, one of the online lottery courier services that enables users to purchase official state lottery tickets via their phone, tablet, or computer, has announced a huge win in New York. A longtime resident of New York City won a major Powerball prize with a ticket ordered through the service.

The winner, a former Army serviceman with a career in the music industry as both a musician and executive, matched all five white balls in the Aug. 5 drawing, narrowly missing the red Powerball needed for the $174 million jackpot.

Despite missing the big prize, the unidentified winner certainly didn’t walk away empty-handed. He won $2 million, doubling the standard $1 million by paying an additional $1 for the Power Play feature.

The winner, who had only recently discovered the Power Play feature after joining Jackpot.com, has been a regular customer for about a year. He noted the convenience of being able to purchase lottery tickets online as a major factor in his decision to use the service. The numbers he selected for his winning ticket were inspired by Jewish scripture, reflecting his spiritual beliefs.

Jackpot.com, which launched in New York a year ago with backing from high-profile investors including the New York Yankees and the Tisch family, co-owners of the New York Giants, allows users to order tickets for various state lottery games including Powerball, Mega Millions, and New York Lotto.

Faithful to the digits

A Massachusetts man has struck it big, winning a $2.64 million lottery jackpot after faithfully playing the same set of numbers for three decades. Leicester resident Kevin Connor revealed that the numbers on his winning Megabucks ticket for Saturday’s drawing were no random selection — they were based on his wife’s former phone number, which he has consistently used for the past 30 years.

Connor told officials from the Massachusetts State Lottery that the numbers he played were linked to his wife’s old landline from when they first started dating. This sentimental connection to the numbers ultimately paid off in a big way, turning his long-standing routine into a life-changing windfall.

Connor discovered his incredible stroke of luck while on a family trip to Maine. Reflecting on the moment, he said, “I woke up Sunday morning, picked up my phone, went right to the app, and beelined it to my Jeep to get my ticket and make sure I had the right numbers.”

With his newfound fortune, Connor plans to prioritize his children’s education. He also mentioned a smaller but equally satisfying plan for himself: upgrading his wardrobe with some new socks.

Early bird gets the lottery

A North Carolina man turned a routine car service appointment into an unexpected windfall, winning a $379,747 lottery jackpot. Andrzej Kielbon, a resident of Matthews outside of Charlotte, told North Carolina Education Lottery officials how a bit of early morning spare time led to his fortune.

Kielbon had scheduled an appointment to get his car serviced at a dealership, but he found himself with extra time on his hands after waking up earlier than planned. Reflecting on the sequence of events, he said, “I woke up a little too early. I would’ve never played if I didn’t get up early.”

To pass the time, Kielbon decided to play the lottery’s online Bison Bonanza game. What began as a casual way to fill the morning hours turned into a life-changing moment when he hit the $379,747 progressive jackpot.

“I just play for fun,” Kielbon shared. “I didn’t think it was real because I was still half asleep.” The reality of his win took some time to sink in, but once it did, Kielbon started making plans for how to use his newfound wealth. Kielbon intends to resolve his car troubles by purchasing a new electric vehicle. Additionally, he is planning a celebratory trip to Hawaii.

Best of the rest

$5 turns into $650,000: Mass. State Lottery winner: $650,000 prize won off $5 scratch ticket

$5 becomes $1 million: Central Florida Man Wins $1 Million Playing $5 Scratch-Off Game

Time’s almost up: Last chance! Unclaimed $1 million Mega Millions ticket expires Sept. 15

Check the prize box and see you next week!