The Firefighter

When Carmelo Mercado bought two scratch cards, the last thing he expected was to win $5 million. But it happened. Many say that it was karma working in his favour and the universe thanking him for good deeds. So what did he do to attract such luck? Mr. Carmelo was one of the first responders during the 9/11 attacks.

At the time, he was a New York firefighter who rushed to the scene shortly after the second tower collapsed. He then spent the next two days working through the rubble at Ground Zero. At the age of 63, Mr. Mercardo’s lungs weren’t what they used to be and he retired three years later. And then he became a millionaire.

The Medical Clerk

Mavis Wanczyk spent 32 years in a clerical job in the nursing department at Mercy Centre in Springfield. On the night of the draw, she was leaving work with a firefighter and jokingly remarked that the jackpot winner was “never going to be me. It’s just a pipe dream that I’ve always had”. To her utmost surprise, she checked her ticket and there it was, her ticket held the winning numbers.

With a jackpot prize sitting at $758.7 million, Mavis Wanczyk made US history by winning the largest jackpot with a single-ticket. After 32 years of service, she quit her job and took some “me-time”. She later joked in a Facebook post that she needed a vacation, “And by vacation, I mean I need to move away and find a new job. On a beach. With rum”. Mavis, can you take us with you?

The Three Amigos

Tired of holding down multiple jobs, three public school employees in Maryland went to a 7-Eleven to buy lottery tickets. Each contributed $20 to buy a total of 60 tickets. On the night of the draw, one had already forgotten about the lottery ticket and went to bed but was woken up at around 11.30pm with great news. They had won.

Choosing to remain anonymous rather than have their faces on the news, the three came together on the night of the draw to create a plan. They would sign the ticket, put it in a safe and cash it in the moment they could. We bet the Maryland lottery offices aren’t open at midnight. Accompanied by a financial advisor, the three winners, who call themselves ‘The Three Amigos’, choose the lump sum deal and laid out their plan for the next few years. They were happy to announce they’d be keeping their jobs as teachers but fully intended on travelling and further exploring other hobbies. Congratulations!

What started as an ordinary day for teachers, a firefighter and a clerk, turned into a life-changing moment that they would most likely never forget. And these are only some of the stories out there. Already feeling inspired and ready to play? We’ll give you a head start, simply click here to pick and play the lottery of your choice.