Winning the lottery once in a lifetime is pretty lucky. Winning the lottery twice in the same day? Virginia Fike is one of the few people that can describe that feeling.
The Berryville, Va., 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.
"I'm in shock!" Fike said 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."
The jackpot that week was at $80 million. 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 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 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 prizes.
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 told ABC News.
Fike was presented with a check for $2 million 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 after taxes. The store also received a $20,000 bonus for selling the two winning tickets.
For now, Virginia's newest millionaire is basking in her shocking win.
"I must be dreaming," Fike said. "I look forward to helping to take care of my parents and paying some bills."
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Old news, already posted two days ago on lottery discussion forums.
"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 told ABC News.
the only times I buy multiple tickets with the same numbers is IF
I thought I haven't yet bought tickets for the draw
of course, it's definately nice to win $1M twice
Congrats to the Winner
Wow. I love reading these stories of winners at this site!
Congrats!!!
Congrats to Ms. Fike
Cool!
Congrats to the lucky lady.
technically it is not winning the lottery "twice in the same day". she only won one lottery but had it two times. it would have to be the "same day" so that is oxymoronic. i just hope she used 2 different powerball numbers otherwise she would have split the jackpot with herself if that came in. i wish she could explain better how she picked the numbers. her parents age and the anniversary date gives you 3 numbers. how do you divide those by the year they were married? that would give you 4 numbers. what is the 5th and what did she use for a powerball number(s). quite confusing and convulted to say the least. but she did it and deserves credit for playing it twice providing she actually did use 2 different powerball numbers.
the numbers for powerball on 4/7 were 5 13 17 20 30. i'm going to assume that a 30 year old married a 20 year old on either the 5th 13th or 17th. that gives you either 67 63 or 55 to divide by the year they were married. judging from her age it would have to be 50 to 60 years ago which would be ball park 55-65 the year they got hitched. try dividing that into 67 63 or 55 and how do you get the 4th number. where did the 5th number come from? nitpicking but any ideas?
"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 prizes."
Well she dodged a bullet on that one.
I wonder if she even knows how close she came to disaster.
That woman is not only lucky she is blessed. I sincerly hope she enjoys her wealth
Now that's whats up!!! Congrads Ms. Fikes, this Buds for you
I was just getting ready to comment on that too. $2 million worth of lottery tickets and she hands them unsigned to a clerk. She was very lucky she handed them to an honest clerk.
Memo to Todd: Please refrain from posting lottery news items in the Lottery News Forum that were posted in the Discussion Forum; it apparently confuses mcginnin56!
Memo to Stack47: Youv'e always been confusing since you started posting here six years ago.
It's OK though, someone has to be. 
Are you thinking of Patel? haha its been a while since we've had an article of a Patel getting caught doing his thing. Maybe Patel has been reading lotterypost and knows that we know about him and so he has decided to lay low.
there are over a milion patels running convenience stores in this country. i don't think any of them are afraid of anyone on here. thousands of people are scammed every day by convenience store clerks. they don't even have a clue that it happened since they take the store clerks word for it that the ticket lost.
No, actually I know some Patels where I occasionally buy and cash tickets and they are very honest.
I've had other people try to rip me off though.
Dam honkies.
https://www.lotterypost.com/rules
excerpt from rules;
Do not post news stories on the forums.
_____________________________________
comment by jap69
Just send Lottery Post a link of a lottery news story and it will appear in the news forum if the decision is made to post it in the news section.
If a new story was posted in the Lottery Discussion forum, why didn't you report it? It is against the rules.
Didn't realize it was in the rules Todd. I've seen dozens of news stories posted in the Lottery Discussion Forum in the past with no
repercussions. From this point forward, I will report any lottery news story to you immediately. Thank you for bringing this to my attention Todd.
Is there anyone else monitoring this web sites content, besides the LP members themselves?
Thanks for the tip JAP!
Your welcome mcginnin56.
I had sent Lottery Post a link of an off the wall lottery news story within the past month or so and Todd took the time to e-mail me back (as busy as he is) on his decision not to post it in the news section. Todd informed me that if I chose to do so post it in my blog. Which I chose not to do.
I always delete them whenever they are posted, and when someone keeps doing it I let them know it is against the rules. So maybe you did not notice they were deleted? If you know of any I missed, please click Report Abuse on them so I can take care of it. Thanks!
This new Powerball 2nd place prize amount (especially if one always plays paying the extra $1 to win with the Powerplay Option) can truly make a HUGE difference in someone's life. What a great $2M gross monetary situation to enter and nurture each month!!!
It's so nice to hear a success story on Personal Numbers! Yay Congrats to Ms Fike!
Congratulations on her win, she is very lucky.
Lucky to win and lucky to hand 2 tickets worth that much over to a clerk. I don't hand anything to anyone. My state has scanner machines that you can check it yourself or I will just ask for a printout of the numbers and check them myself.
Very good! Unusual, but possible. I finally figured out my password. Been off for about a year battling my illness and I forgot yhe pasword and email address! Possible, yes, unual---well
Welcome back mylollipop.....
Twice in one day, thats really cool, congrats to the lucky lady.
she must be mad that she missed the jackpot by 1 number twice