Massachusetts couple wins $1 million lottery — then loses ticket, triggering frantic search
- The Massachusetts State Lottery confirmed the winning ticket, a $1 million Powerball prize, was purchased at a convenience store in Springfield, but the lucky couple realized it was missing just hours after checking online.
- Surveillance footage from the store and home security cameras became key evidence as the couple, who requested anonymity, launched a neighborhood-wide hunt, fearing the ticket had been accidentally thrown away with trash.
- In a dramatic twist, the ticket was found crumpled under a car seat after a two-day search, saving the couple from a potential financial disaster and sparking local chatter about the importance of securing tickets.
- Lottery officials in Massachusetts, which has one of the highest per-capita lottery sales rates in the U.S., urged players to immediately sign the back of tickets and store them in a safe place to avoid similar scares.
- The couple plans to use the after-tax proceeds of roughly $600,000 to pay off student loans and their mortgage, with the wife joking they’ll invest in a locking safe for future scratch-off purchases.