Luckiest man ever wins $1 million lottery -- twice

Updated
Man Wins Million-Dollar Lottery -- Twice
Man Wins Million-Dollar Lottery -- Twice


On July 22, Indiana resident Robert Hamilton won the Hoosier Lottery's top prize of $1 million again after winning it for the first time in April. WISH says Robert called the second win "the icing on the cake."



... Can we just say we don't even need icing? Even a few crumbs would be nice.

Seriously though, the odds of something like this happening are staggering. Officials say the odds of winning the top prize once are 1 in more than 2 million.

Still, he and his wife, Donna, insist they're normal people. They reportedly spent most of the first winnings on fulfilling debts and a house.

According to the Greene County Daily World, Donna said, "After he won the first time, I told him he could buy a motorcycle if he hit it again." And just like that, Robert got the blessing.

If you're feeling lucky, there are five more million-dollar prizes to be claimed in the same event Robert won.

And according to the lottery's website, you could still be a winner even if you don't play. Last year alone, the Hoosier Lottery paid $30 million to police and firefighters, another $30 million to teacher retirement funds and almost $150 million to the Build Indiana Fund.

And Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner points out lotteries, in general, are one of the best sources of public fundraising because they eliminate what economists call "the free-riding effect." Because every ticket someone else purchases lowers your chances of winning, you are continually motivated to buy more.

And here's some more good news for those of you who want to play: There's a secret method to the madness of winning.

Take seven-time winner Richard Lustig's word for it. In an interview with The Huffington Post, he revealed tips such as never playing "Quick Picks," picking your own numbers and consistently playing those numbers without changing.

Lustig says each time you play the same set of numbers, even if you lose, your odds of winning the next time actually increase. And with the highest national prize up for grabs at $87 million, you might want to take a cue from Robert and Lustig and try your luck.

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