Grandpa wins $24 million lottery after he found his ticket in an old shirt just before it expired

Most people would relate to the sheer joy of landing their hands on a forgotten dollar lying around in their pockets. What are the odds that you find a whopping $24 million? While that amount of cash will likely not fit into a pocket, it is someone’s reality. A 68-year-old man from New Jersey was one lucky chap when he uncovered a lottery ticket from his shirt pocket that turned him into a millionaire. The stars were aligned for him that day as he was able to claim the grand reward only two days before the deadline, according to the New York Lottery, as reported by HelloGiggles. 

Jimmie Smith, who hails from East Orange County, was merely looking into his shirt’s pockets hanging in the closet when he stumbled upon the winning lottery ticket in 2017. However, it was not one he had bought recently. The report stated Smith had purchased the lottery ticket back in May 2016 but was able to claim it only days shy of a whole year. Had he found it two days later, the one-year deadline would have passed and he would have sulked around with an expired winning ticket. 

Recalling the exhilarating moment he found that he had won, the man explained that he had found not one, but a “stack” of tickets, “including the one they were talking about on the news.” However, Smith would have never experienced this grand phase of his life if not for an announcement made by the lottery organization. The New York Gaming Commission had no clue about the identity of the winner and hence, encouraged NY Lottery to spread the word. “We urge New York Lottery players: Check your pockets. Check your glove box. Look under the couch cushions. If you have this winning ticket, we look forward to meeting you,” said Gweneth Dean, director of the Commission’s Division of the Lottery, per CNN. 

Doing as asked, Smith had a rather interesting reaction as the reality set in. Smith told NY Lottery, “I stood there for a minute thinking, ‘Do I see what I think I see?’ I had to stick my head out of the window and breathe in some fresh air. I was in serious doubt. I really had to convince myself this was real.” Well, he for sure deserved it after working hard as a security guard for his entire life and then reaping the benefits in his retirement. He intends to use the money on his family, being a father of two and a grandfather of 12, after an “all-family discussion” though.

Back in the 1960s, Smith learned the magic of probability and loved taking chances with lottery tickets in both New York and New Jersey. Despite his quirk for lottery tickets, he did not check the results immediately and often forgot about some of them. “I always told myself, ‘I’ll check them when I have the time,’” he said. Well, the last time we checked, he had won $24 million, so it surely paid off. Smith chose to receive his payments over the course of 26 years over a lump sum. A wise choice there. The drawing numbers were: 05 -12 - 13 - 22 - 25 - 35. Soon after, the Dean of the gaming commission expressed his delight that the lucky winner was able to claim his "life-changing" prize.