CALMAR, Alberta (NEXSTAR) – A man who unintentionally bought two tickets for the same draw had to “split” the $5 million jackpot with himself, the Western Canada Lottery Corp said in a news release Tuesday.
Andrew Burke, of Calmar, Alberta, would have taken home the same amount either way after winning the September drawing, but, since he played two tickets with his same lucky numbers he wound up with two giant checks, each for $2.5 million.
Burke found out that he is now a multimillionaire at the gas station where he bought the tickets.
When the clerk looked at his ticket and told him that he won $2.5 million, he remembered telling her “she better check that other ticket, because it’s the same numbers!”
So far his plans for the windfall of cash aren’t very lavish – he says he’d like to fix up a vintage Land Rover, do some renovations on his home and eventually take a trip back to the United Kingdom, where he is originally from.
“On our wedding day, my father-in-law said ‘I always wanted my daughter to marry a millionaire, but I got the next best thing – someone who spends money like a millionaire.’ Well…now…” Burke said, laughing as he trailed off during an interview with the WCLC.
Burke said he’s now “on vacation” from his job and will probably give up playing the lottery as well.
“At $5 million, I think I’ll give someone else a chance,” he laughed.
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