Matthew Sherlock of Seekonk is the winner of a $25,000 a year for life prize in the Lucky for Life  game after the first five numbers on his ticket matched those selected in the drawing that took place Thursday, January 17, 2019.

Sherlock opted to receive his prize in the form of a one-time payment of $390,000 (less tax withholdings). He plans on using part of his winnings to buy a new motorcycle.

He purchased his winning ticket at Landry Liquors, 134 Central Ave in Seekonk. The store will receive a $5,000 bonus for its sale.

Lucky for Life tickets are $2 each and can be played in 25 states and the District of Columbia. Drawings are held every Monday and Thursday at 10:38 p.m. ET.

John Ballard Jr. of Raleigh said a $25,000 A Year For Life prize is going to help him with retirement.

“I always thought I would have to be working until I’m at least 80,” said Ballard. “But now, with being able to invest this win, I don’t have to work until I’m 80 anymore! That’s awesome.”

Ballard bought the lucky $2 ticket for the Nov. 15 drawing at Lowes Food on Bass Lake Road in Holly Springs where he is a manager.

He claimed his prize Thursday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of getting $25,000 a year every year for the rest of his life or a lump sum of $390,000. He chose the lump sum and, after federal and state tax withholdings, took home $ 274,952.

“I’ve been playing the lottery for 20 or so years,” said Ballard. “But I have never won more than $25. I love Lucky For Life. I’m going to continue to tell everyone about this game.”

Players win the $25,000 A Year For Life prize by matching all five white balls. Ballard is the 18th player in North Carolina to claim the game’s second prize since the game started here in February 2016.

In all, there are 10 ways to win a prize playing Lucky For Life. The game’s top prize is $1,000 A Day For Life. So far, two North Carolinians have won the top prize.

Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.

###

Palmer Lewis of Haw River said he’s making big plans after he won a $25,000 a year for life Lucky For Life prize.

“This is going to be life-changing,” Lewis said. “Right now I have a 98’ Ford. I’m going to get a new car, maybe a van. Something that’s easier for me to get in and out of. I’m also going to fix up my home.”

Using his own numbers, Lewis bought the ticket for Thursday’s drawing at the Food Lion on South Main Street in Graham.

“I knew I should’ve waited until the morning to check the numbers,” Lewis said. “I couldn’t sleep after I checked them I was so excited. I only slept for an hour and a half.”

He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of getting $25,000 a year, every year, for the rest of his life or a lump sum of $390,000. He chose the lump sum and, after federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $274,954.

The $2 ticket beat odds of one in 1.8 million to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life. So far, two North Carolinians have won the top prize, $1,000 a day for life, and 17 tickets have won the second prize. There are 10 ways to win a prize playing Lucky For Life.

A Marshall County couple arrived at the Kansas Lottery headquarters in Topeka on June 28, 2018 to claim their Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life! The winners, who chose to remain anonymous, matched all five numbers and the Lucky Ball on a Quick Pick ticket in Monday’s June 25th Lucky for Life drawing.

“For ten years now, we’ve bought tickets twice a week for the draw games,” said the winners. “For some games we pick our own numbers, and on other games we just do Quick Picks. We’re glad we did a Quick Pick this time for sure!”

The couple didn’t check their tickets until Wednesday, even though they knew that someone had won the big prize.

“I got a push notification on my phone that the Lucky for Life top prize was hit in Kansas, but I didn’t check it against my numbers. I just went to work,” said the winner. “We keep all of our tickets on a clip next to the refrigerator, and we check them once or twice a week.”

“When we finally remembered to check the tickets, I saw that Lucky for Life ticket and figured out that we were the winner. I showed my wife, and then she made me check it one more time. We couldn’t believe it at first,” said the winner. “It still hasn’t fully sunk in yet. It truly is a life-changing thing, and we just had it clipped next to the fridge for a couple days,” the winners said with a laugh.

The couple opted to take the cash option instead of the annuity prize, which is $5.75 million dollars before taxes. The prize is large enough for both of them to consider retiring early and quitting their jobs.

“We’re both close enough to retirement that this win will make it possible for us to retire early,” the winner said. “Now we just have to figure out what we’re going to do with our spare time!”

The couple said they plan to use their newfound free time and money to get back into old hobbies and to take a few trips they’ve been putting off.

“We don’t really know what the future holds for us,” the winners said. “But we’ve got a lot to think about, and plenty of options. It’s a great problem to have!”

The winning ticket was sold at CJ Express 1 at 1202 11^th Road in Marysville.

Kenneth Mailloux of Dracut, Massachusetts is the winner of a $25,000 a year for life second-tier Lucky For Life prize after the numbers on his ticket matched those drawn in the multi-state game’s Monday, May 21st drawing.

Mailloux chose the cash option on his prize and received a one-time payment of $390,006 (less tax withholdings). He plans on using part of his winnings to help his family.

Mailloux purchased his winning ticket at George’s Cafe, 570 Textile Ave. in Dracut.

COLUMBIA, SC (June 1, 2018) – A Sumter man wins $25,000 a year for LIFE after purchasing a Lucky for Life ticket from Mozingos Grocery at 3350 N. Main Street in Sumter.

The ticket matched the first five numbers drawn in the May 28th drawing. The winner had the choice between $25,000 a year for life or a one-time cash payment of $390,000 if there are less than 21 winners. The “for life” prize is payable for the length of the winner’s natural life, with payments guaranteed for a minimum of 20 years.

Lucky for Life – Monday, May 28, 2018
4, 6, 13, 16, and 32 Lucky Ball: 7

The winner decided to take the one-time payout.

The Sumter man discovered his win at a retailer. The clerk told him, “You’ve got to go to Columbia.” The winner replied, “For what?” The clerk said, “You just hit a jackpot!” The winner didn’t let it go to his head and calmly said, “Well, okay then.” He told lottery officials he hasn’t visited Columbia since 2006.

The winner plans to pay off his home and put the rest in the bank.

The odds of winning $25,000 a year for life are 1 in 1,813,028.

Lucky for Life is a multi-state game offered in 26 jurisdictions. Tickets cost $2 with drawings on Mondays and Thursdays. South Carolina began selling Lucky for Life tickets in January 2015. In addition to the $25,000 a year for life prize, players can also win $1,000 a day for life and eight additional prizes.

Congratulations to the Maine Lottery on their eighth $25,000 a YEAR for LIFE win, following Lucky for Life®’s drawing on March 22, 2018! There were also fifteen lucky $5,000 wins in Colorado, Delaware, Kansas, Kentucky(2), Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan(3), New Hampshire, Ohio(2), South Carolina and Vermont.

The winning numbers were: 9 – 17 – 27 – 29 – 31 LB: 16

Check your tickets! Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for the latest Lucky for Life® updates.

Michael Davenport, 64, of Louisville, is the Kentucky Lottery’s newest Lucky For Life winner!  Davenport matched the first five numbers but not the Lucky Ball to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life on the February 26^th drawing.

Davenport, a retired machinist, checked his ticket the following morning while at home.  He pulled up the winning numbers on his phone and saw several of his numbers matched – but he had no idea how much he’d won. “I zoomed in on the screen and rubbed my eyes to make sure I was seeing it right,” he told lottery officials.

Davenport then drove to a nearby Thorntons to have his ticket checked.  The clerk scanned it and handed it back telling him it was for more than $600, which is the most they can pay.   “I had no clue how much I’d won.  I thought maybe $1,000,” he said.

The Okolona man then presented his ticket at Kentucky Lottery headquarters just a short time later.  “I asked the woman at the window how much I’d won, and she said $500,000.  I began to walk away when I stopped and turned around, and said to her, “Excuse me?  She said $500,000 a second time and I just couldn’t believe it,” Davenport said.

He sat down in the lobby and began texting his wife.  He told her where he was and sent photos of the winning numbers and his ticket.   She was at work and most likely was unable to respond right away.

Davenport chose to take the lump sum amount of $390,000.  After taxes, he received $273,000.

The couple have six children, 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild on the way.  He is excited to be able to pay off the couple’s house.

The winning ticket was purchased at Pic Pac on Blue Lick in Louisville.  The retailer will get a bonus of $5,000 for selling the ticket.