A Columbus truck driver scored two Pick 5 wins off the same numbers after a convenience-store clerk accidentally reprinted his ticket, turning one lucky hit into a double payout. Both tickets matched the midday Pick 5 numbers in last Wednesday's drawing, pushing his pre-tax haul to just over $50,800.
The driver bought his play at an Airport Duchess store and, after the clerk misplaced the original ticket, was given a replacement that turned out to be identical, according to FOX8. He held on to both tickets and told the outlet he felt the win "was meant to be," explaining that the lucky numbers came from his work ID at a new job.
The Ohio Lottery lists the midday Pick 5 result as 4-4-5-7-8. According to the Lottery's winning-numbers report, a $1 straight Pick 5 win pays $25,000 per bet, and the 60-way box option paid $417 per ticket, bringing the total to $50,834, according to Ohio Lottery.
Officials put the odds of hitting a straight Pick 5 at about 1 in 100,000, a long shot that makes the duplicate win all the more remarkable, FOX8 reports. The driver said he plans to invest the take-home, about $37,235.90 after 26.75% withholdings, in his family's landscaping business instead of splurging on luxuries.
How the state handles ticket errors
Ohio rules give the Lottery Commission discretion to resolve printing or clerical errors and specify how prizes are validated when mistakes occur, according to state administrative filings. The Register of Ohio filing and agency rules allow the Lottery to investigate and determine prize awards in cases of mechanical errors, which appears to have cleared this claim without contest; see the administrative document for details.
For other players, the episode is a reminder to hold on to tickets and to double-check any replacements at the counter. For the Columbus driver, a clerk's mistake turned into a small business boost and a story he is likely to share at his next stop.
