Firefighter feels ‘excitement in the air’ after lottery win. Then comes disappointment
With the Mega Millions jackpot eclipsing $1 billion, a firefighter on a family road trip found the perfect place to try his luck.
The 51-year-old man from Blaine, Minnesota, took one look around the Pilot Travel Center in Evansdale, Iowa, and knew it was where he needed to purchase a ticket.
“When we were walking out, I said to my wife, ‘Do you have any cash on you?’” Wesley VanVickle told Iowa Lottery officials. “She said, ‘Yeah, I have 5 bucks.’ I said, ‘OK, we’re going to buy two Mega Millions (tickets) because it seems like random places where people win.’”
His intuition was spot on.
The next day, VanVickle realized he was a $10,000 Mega Millions winner. He matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball on one of his tickets.
Had he matched the other white ball, he would have been the massive $1.35 billion winner.
“It was definite excitement in the air, along with that little bit of disappointment that you were just one number off,” he said.
VanVickle said he plans on using the money for a vacation.
The Mega Millions jackpot eventually grew to $1.58 billion. The winning ticket was purchased at a Publix grocery store in Florida, McClatchy News reported.
Odds of winning the $10,000 prize are 1 in 931,001. Lottery players have a 1-in-302 million chance to win the jackpot.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
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