Man uses ‘house money’ from $500 lottery prize to buy another ticket -- and wins $1M

WORCESTER, Mass. — A Massachusetts man experienced déjà vu, winning a lottery game for the second time in a month. Prize No. 2 was much bigger -- to the tune of $1 million.

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Deivson Alves Martins, a carpenter from Worcester, won a $500 prize in January, according to a news release from the Massachusetts Lottery. Using his earnings as “house money,” Martins bought another ticket from the same outlet -- a Family Farms convenience store at 443 Park Ave. in Worcester, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

This time, Martins purchased a “Billion Dollar Extravaganza” instant ticket, the state lottery’s $50 game, lottery officials said.

Martins said he bought the ticket from dispenser No. 11 because that is his lucky number. And it came up a big winner.

According to lottery officials, Martin decided to take a lump sum of $650,000 before taxes. He collected his cash at lottery headquarters on Feb. 26.

He added that his double win has given him peace of mind for his future and his family’s.

The odds of winning the $1 million prize on a Billion Dollar Extravaganza ticket is 1 in 2,016,000, according to the lottery’s website.

The convenience store will also benefit, receiving a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

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