One lucky mistake made a Massachusetts lottery player a millionaire
Paul Corcoran, who took home $2 million in prize money, mixed up the dates of the final drawing for a ticket he purchased, leading him to purchase another (winning) multi-draw ticket featured in the same drawing.
Corcoran, a Fitchburg resident, told the Massachusetts Lottery that he "initially bought a ticket for seven Powerball drawings and mistakenly thought the final drawing on that ticket had already occurred," hence the impulse purchase.
One of the winning tickets was purchased at a grocery store in Fitchburg, while the other was purchased at a gas station five miles away, in Leominster.
According to a news release from the Massachusetts Lottery, he won the two $1 million Powerball prizes after the first five numbers printed on the tickets matched those selected in the drawing.
"Both Powerball tickets matched all five white balls drawn that night – white balls 5, 9, 25, 28, 69 and red Powerball 5 – resulting in Cocoran winning two $1 million prizes," Powerball said in a statement.
Winner feels 'good,' but unsure what to do with fortune
Corcoran, who claimed his small fortune on July 11, two days after the drawing, told the Massachusetts Lottery that while the wins felt "good," he was not sure how he was going to spend the money.
According to Powerball, the overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9, and the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
More: Man wins $1M prize during game show celebrating release of 'Jaws'
What is the Powerball jackpot today?
As of July 17, the estimated Powerball jackpot is $288 million with a cash value of $130.6 million. The next drawing will take place at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT on July 19.
How to play Powerball
You can't win if you don't play, but seriously, to play Powerball, you must purchase a $2 ticket. You can do this at a variety of locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online.
Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 69. The red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add a 'Power Play' for $1, which increases the winning for all non-jackpot prizes.
The 'Power Play' multiplier can multiply winnings by: 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X.
If you are feeling unlucky or want the computer to do the work for you, the 'Quick Pick' option is available, where computer-generated numbers will be printed on a Powerball ticket. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball.
Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will continue to tick up.
Where to buy lottery tickets
Tickets can be purchased at gas stations, convenience stores or grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visitjackpocket.com/tos for full terms.
Contributing: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Barbara Corcoran: Here's How I Would Make $1 Million in 90 Days
What would you do if you had just 90 days to make $1 million? For Barbara Corcoran the answer is simple — stick to what you know and move fast. Find Out: Read Next: During a live Q&A episode of 'Barbara in Your Pocket,' the 'Shark Tank' investor and real estate mogul shared her plan to build major wealth in a short amount of time. Start With What You Know To make $1 million in 90 days, Corcoran said she 'would do what I know best,' which for her means investing in real estate. 'I would go into a market I know,' she said. In her case, Corcoran would invest in New York City, purchasing the cheapest apartments or office spaces she could find. 'I would start at the bottom of the pot, things that have been on the market a long time, and I'd make a very low offer, try to fix it up really fast and flip it,' she said. 'In 90 days, you could do that.' Learn More: Minimize Risk With Expertise When you're trying to make a lot of money quickly, it's easy to get caught up in get-rich-quick schemes, but this can be avoided by sticking to what you know. 'I would do real estate, but that's the only thing I'm totally comfortable in,' Corcoran said. 'I wouldn't really feel at risk in that period because I feel like I have a good judgment, a good eye for what's valuable, a good eye for how to fix things up, and I have a good eye on what it can sell for. I move with confidence in an area that I know well.' Corcoran said she wouldn't invest in anything that she didn't feel that confidence about. 'I wouldn't get involved in any venture that I don't know anything of,' she said. 'That's a sure way to lose your money.' More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard I'm a Retired Boomer: 6 Bills I Canceled This Year That Were a Waste of Money These Cars May Seem Expensive, but They Rarely Need Repairs This article originally appeared on Barbara Corcoran: Here's How I Would Make $1 Million in 90 Days
USA Today
16 hours ago
- USA Today
Idaho Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 4 on July 31, 2025
Looking to win big? The Idaho Lottery offers several games if you think it's your lucky day. Lottery players in Idaho can chose from popular national games like the Powerball and Mega Millions, which are available in the vast majority of states. Other games include Lotto America, Lucky For Life, 5 Star Draw, Idaho Cash, Pick 3 and Pick 4. Big lottery wins around the U.S. include a lucky lottery ticketholder in California who won a $1.27 billion Mega Millions jackpot in December 2024. See more big winners here. And if you do end up cashing a jackpot, here's what experts say to do first. Here's a look at Thursday, July 31, 2025 results for each game: Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 31 drawing Day: 7-9-1 Night: 0-9-4 Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Pick 4 numbers from July 31 drawing Day: 4-7-6-0 Night: 4-8-9-8 Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Lucky For Life numbers from July 31 drawing 14-25-33-39-40, Lucky Ball: 10 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Winning Idaho Cash numbers from July 31 drawing 06-09-14-33-40 Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ? Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Where can you buy lottery tickets? Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
USA Today
20 hours ago
- USA Today
When is the next Powerball drawing? Jackpot jumps again after no winner
More than $400 million is up for grabs on Saturday night as the Powerball jackpot continues to balloon ever higher. No one managed to be the lucky winner on the Wednesday, July 30 drawing, so the wait continues for a new winner. The Powerball jackpot has risen to $410 million ahead of the Saturday drawing with an estimated $184.9 million lump-sum payment after taxes, according to the lottery. There have been four Powerball jackpot winners in 2025, most recently on May 31, when a person in California won the $204.5 million prize. A lucky player in Oregon had the first jackpot-winning Powerball ticket of 2025, netting $328.5 million on Jan. 18. A second jackpot winner matched all six Powerball numbers on March 29, winning $527 million. A third jackpot winner from Kentucky won the $167.3 million prize on April 26. The next drawing will happen on 11 p.m. ET Saturday. Here's what you need to know ahead of the next Powerball drawing. When is the next Powerball drawing? The next drawing will take place on Saturday, August 2, just after 11 p.m. ET. How to play the Powerball To play the Powerball, you have to buy a ticket for $2. You can do this at a variety of locations, including your local convenience store, gas station, or even grocery store. In some states, Powerball tickets can be bought online. Once you have your ticket, you need to pick six numbers. Five of them will be white balls with numbers from 1 to 69. The red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add a 'Power Play' for $1, which increases the winning for all non-jackpot prizes. The 'Power Play' multiplier can multiply winnings by: 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X. If you are feeling unlucky or want the computer to do the work for you, the 'Quick Pick' option is available, where computer-generated numbers will be printed on a Powerball ticket. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball. Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the cash prize will continue to tick up. Where to buy lottery tickets Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets. You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer. Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit for full terms. Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
