A man who struck gold three times in the lottery within nine months has given his take on the “astronomical” luck he’s encountered. David Serkin from Lethbridge, Alberta, hit the jackpot by bagging $1million (£539,242) in the Lotto 6/49 gold ball draw in Canada on May 3.
In a remarkable streak of good fortune, this win followed two previous lottery victories within a few months. On August 20, he won half a million dollars (£269,621), and then on November 16, he pocketed another $1 million, tallying his total winnings to a staggering $2.5 million (£1,348,105). The cancer survivor clinched his latest prize while out buying petrol, leaving his wife and pals utterly astounded by his successive wins, as reported by Canadian media outlet INsauga.
David remarked: “I know the odds are astronomical. I don’t think it’ll happen again, but I still like buying tickets.” He continued: “I saw the gold ball draw was getting close [to the final ball selection] and thought, ‘What do I have to lose?'”.
Having been a regular player since the game’s inception in 1982, David commented: “You check your ticket and if you win, you’re happy. If you don’t, you can always try again,” he said.
He shared his gratitude, stating: “I’m a cancer survivor and I’m retired, so I am just grateful for all of it.” His family was in disbelief at his recurrent success. David shared an anecdote: “I went for coffee with the boys after I checked my ticket,” he said.
“They asked to see it and said, ‘Not again?'”.
Following his recent victory, Serkin jetted off to Hawaii with his wife, and now they’re planning an exciting trip to Newfoundland.
Meanwhile, a lorry driver from East London has hung up his keys for good after scooping a life-changing £5.2m on the National Lottery, with his first buy being a Shark vacuum cleaner.
Despite the sudden wealth, he insisted on hunting for the “best deal.” He emphasised that they are not “flash” but “very down to earth” individuals who appreciate the “value of things.”
In another stroke of luck, a 20-year-old trainee gas engineer won a staggering £7.5m. James Clarkson from Cumbria celebrated his fortune with a roast beef dinner and champagne alongside family and friends, before heading back to work as usual the following day.
As reported by the BBC, the young millionaire plans to clear his parents’ mortgage, indulge in a luxurious holiday to Cape Verde, and splurge on an Audi.
James, originating from Carlisle, quipped: “If you drove a cold work van all day, going from job to job, you’d understand.”
Yet, these winnings seem modest when compared to tonight’s EuroMillions jackpot (Tuesday, June 3), which stands at a colossal £199,000,000 due to a rollover, as no one matched the winning numbers last Friday, according to Metro.
Discussing the colossal jackpot, Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at Allwyn (operators of The National Lottery), revealed: “We are now on the verge of creating the biggest National Lottery winner this country has ever seen, as the EuroMillions jackpot will be an estimated £199million this Tuesday.”
He added that if a single person secures the entire amount, they will be wealthier than the “likes of Dua Lipa and Harry Kane”. In addition, they’d land the top spot on a list of the lottery’s biggest wins.
