$14 million from multiple tickets with same numbers
Two Vietnam War Veterans from Weston, West Virginia, are millionaires after claiming an unusual Powerball prize involving multiple lottery tickets purchased with the same numbers.
West Virginia Lottery Director John Musgrave introduced the state's newest millionaires at a press conference at Lottery Headquarters Monday, according to a news release from the Lottery.
Michael Shaver and Ronald Simmons share the $14 million in winnings from matching five numbers, seven times with the PowerPlay option from Feb. 29's Powerball drawing, officials said.
Shaver and Simmons played the same numbers seven times and match all five white balls, only missing the Powerball number each time. Officials said the $1 million prize on each occurrence was automatically doubled to $2 million because they chose the PowerPlay option, giving them a total prize of $14 million.
The winning tickets were bought at the Prime 7-Eleven #5706 on 3rd Street in Weston and they pair played the specific numbers based on birth dates of loved ones, according to the news release.
The winning numbers were 01-04-11-23-26 with a Powerball of 14. Officials said the store where the ticket was purchased will receive a $100,000 selling bonus.
Shaver and Simmons's ticket was the only one in the country that matched five numbers and used the PowerPlay option for Wednesday's Drawing, according to the news release.
Officials said four other players matched five numbers in the drawing. Each of players won $1 million. Those winning tickets were purchased in Colorado, Iowa, Illinois and Texas.
Shaver and Simmons, who are lifelong friends, said they will be responsible with their winnings and use some of it to help their fellow veterans.
"We are going to help our family, our kids and grandkids and help some veterans," Shaver said. "Veterans benefits are something we are both very passionate about and we plan to advocate for protecting veterans benefits. We both want to thank the VA hospitals in Pittsburgh and Clarksburg and the Veterans Center in Morgantown and all the people associated with them, because we would not be here without them and have this. We will use some of this to help our fellow vets."
The two winners are the 31st and 32nd persons in the W.Va. Lottery's 26-year history to win $1 million or more in prizes, officials said.
More than $2.2 billion has been awarded in prizes from traditional lottery games since the W.Va. Lottery was created in 1986, according to the news release.
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Great for these guys!
7 tickets with the same numbers? Okay, don't understand why but who cares, they made it! Thank you gentlemen, may you finally get the respect that is deprived to our heros in uniform. We might object to the cause but we still thank you for carrying out the task to protect our families, our freedom, liberty and country!
love it..love it...love it... congrats to the winners....
Congrats on your win. Way to go Vets! That is awesome Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-weshar75
When I saw that drawing the other night I said to myself that someone took one hell of a gamble and it paid off really well.
Congratulations guys.
Sandia, I often do the same thing--- and here's why: If I feel strongly about my numbers, yet I don't really think I'm going to hit the big jackpot, I'll play multiple tickets with the same numbers in order to maximize the payouts in the lower-paying tiers.. For instance, If I am certain that 15 will be the Powerball, I'll play that powerball on several plays so that I will win multiple times, etc..... In the case of these two veterans---they just happened to maximize their winnings on the higher-tiered prize levels.
havent you read the latest news? buying multiple tickets doesnt increase your odds, so may as well buy 7 with same number.,
</sarcasm>
Exactly what I thought, buying the # with different PBs
I can help you understand why.
The 2nd prize of $1,000,000 for matching the 5 white ball numbers is not pari-mutuel. That simply means if two people match the 5 white balls drawn, each person will win one million dollars. (They dont split the 1 million equally.)
What these men did was play the same set of numbers 7 times. Had they not bought The Power Play, they would have won a total of 7 million dollars. But since they spent an extra dollar to purchase The Power Play, the total winnings became 14 million.
When I play PB, I usually buy The Power Play. Each line on the ticket costs $2.00. But since I buy The Power Play, each line on the ticket costs $3.00.
So if the winners bought those 7 lines on one ticket with The Power Play played, the total cost of the ticket was $21.00.
Congrats to the Lucky winners, and Thank you.
Wow. I didn't see this happening. Congratulations to them.
Congrats to fellow vets. When I hit the jackpot, I plan to do this except I would play $300 each time. Can you imagine Powerball paying out $200M on a second tier hit AND the annuitized/cash value jackpot amount? I am sure the director would have some choice words for such a winner behind closed doors! Would probably see the minimum jackpot amount for a few rollovers!
Couldn't happen to anyone better than these two veterans.Way to go,guys!
Congrats to the winners!! And Thank You for your service!