Massachusetts Lottery Player ‘Lucky for Life’ Six Times Over

Posted on: December 20, 2022, 05:15h. 

Last updated on: December 20, 2022, 05:29h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

A Massachusetts Lottery player says it was “intuition” that led to him repeatedly playing the same five numbers on six “Lucky for Life” tickets. The man’s clairvoyance finally paid off.

Massachusetts Lottery winner Lucky for Life
Raymond Roberts Sr. poses with his ceremonial check from the Massachusetts State Lottery. Roberts won a yearly $25,000 prize from the Massachusetts Lottery six times. (Image: Massachusetts State Lottery)

The Massachusetts State Lottery revealed recently that Raymond Roberts Sr. of Fall River matched all five winning numbers for the lottery’s nightly “Lucky for Life” drawing that took place on Wednesday, Dec. 14. Roberts matched the winning white ball numbers of 2-4-6-17-20. The odds of doing so are one in 1,813,027.

For overcoming the long odds, “Lucky for Life” comes with a top prize of $25,000 a year for life. But Roberts didn’t win just once, but six times, as he purchased six $2 “Lucky for Life” tickets and picked the same five white numbers for the Dec. 14 drawing.

Roberts told lottery officials that the numbers are a combination of anniversary dates and birthdays. He said he’s been sporadically playing the numbers for more than 20 years.

Roberts, a US military veteran who served in the Vietnam War, purchased his tickets at Royal Liquors at 4263 N. Main Street in Fall River. The store will receive $30,000 in bonuses for selling the six winning “Lucky for Life” tickets ($5,000 a piece).

Creative Payout

Roberts had the option of taking a one-time cash payment or receiving the full value of each “Lucky for Life” jackpot paid out over 20 years.

“Lucky for Life” isn’t actually for life, but 20 years. At $25,000 a year, Roberts’ six winning tickets from the Dec. 14 drawing were each worth $500,000 before taxes.

Roberts chose the one-time cash option for five of the tickets, which totaled $1,950,000 before taxes. After federal and state withholdings, his net payment will be a little more than $1.1 million.

The feds tax lottery income the same as personal income. With Roberts making more than $2 million in 2022, he will fall into the highest tax bracket, which is subject to an effective federal tax rate of 37%. Massachusetts levies a 5% tax on lottery winnings.

Roberts opted to receive the full pre-tax value of his sixth “Lucky for Life” winning ticket. Roberts’ annual check from the lottery will be $25,000.

The state will take its 5%. But the feds’ cut will be dependent on Roberts’ other income and which tax bracket he falls into each year over the life of the 20-year annuity.

Roberts didn’t detail any major spending plans with his newfound wealth. But he did say he wants to purchase a new motorcycle.

2022 ‘Lucky for Life’ Winners

The Massachusetts State Lottery says its “Lucky for Life” top prize of $25,000 a year for 20 years has been won 26 times this year, with Roberts responsible for six of those wins. However, Roberts wasn’t the only player to win the game more than once in a single drawing.

During the Jan. 6, 2022, “Lucky for Life” drawing, a player purchased three $2 tickets at Rusty’s Liquors in Roslindale and picked the same five winning numbers for the tickets.