Winning a decent amount on the lottery is usually a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. However, there have been a lucky few who have managed to defy this statement by winning not just once, but twice. One of these people is multiple lottery winner James Bozeman Jr.
Who Is James Bozeman Jr.?
James is like any other average person. He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, before moving to Orlando, Florida, while he was still in school. During his lifetime he worked as a project manager and realtor, while also serving as the chairman for the Edgewood Planning and Zoning Board. If this was not enough, he was also the councilman for the city of Edgewood. While fantastic achievements, the good luck he encountered in his life next made him the subject of international headlines.
The Double Win
Whether or not James regularly played the lottery is unknown, but what we do know is that when he did, he always did so using the same numbers. This strategy clearly worked for him when, in June 2012, he won a fantastic $10 million jackpot from the Florida Lotto. James decided to take his winnings as a cash lump sum and then continued with his life.
One thing that James did state openly after his first win is that he would be changing the lottery numbers that he plays with each draw. He clearly used the logic that his lucky numbers had won him what they are able to, and it was now time to try a new sequence and hope for the same good fortune.
Once again, James’s method clearly worked rather well for him because on August 31, 2013, he won big from the Florida Lotto once again—becoming one of very few people who won the lottery multiple times. This time his winnings were not quite as spectacular (being “only” $3 million) but were still nothing to complain about. Bravely, at the age of 67, James opted to receive his winnings in annual payments of $100,000 over the next 30 years. After his win, James yet again announced that he would change the numbers that he plays—hoping for a third win.
The Making of History
Aside from the fact that James won two large amounts from playing the lottery within the space of two years, there is something else remarkable about James’s wins. Both winning tickets were bought from the very same convenience store—a 7-Eleven near where he lived. The store owner, Jim Hermani, soon announced that they were the very first store in the whole state that had sold two winning lottery tickets.
Moving On
Life (and luck) had undoubtedly been kind to James in his attempts to play the lottery. Unfortunately, life also decided to throw a curveball into the loop. In October 2015, just two short years after his second win, James passed away peacefully while at home. He was 69 years of age at the time and had only received two of his 30 annual payments from his second lottery win—though they would carry over to his next of kin.
James left behind two children and three grandchildren (his wife had sadly preceded him into death). Thankfully, however, the family that James left behind will be well taken care of thanks to their father’s incredible persistence in believing that his numbers would make him a winner.
Conclusion
The story of James Bozeman Jr. is one that is both happy and sad. Not only was James one of the few people in history that could say that he had won the same lottery twice—and with no small amounts at that—but he also made history for his local store by purchasing his tickets in the same place each time. Aside from Peter McCathie, who was literally hit by lightning as a teenager and then won the lottery later on in life, we can't think of many people who were any luckier.
In addition to this, James gave proof to the fact that playing the same numbers consistently and with a modicum of persistence does have the ability to pay off in the end. In fact, his win even inspired Internet searches where fellow lottery players were trying to discover what lottery method he used to be able to choose winning lottery numbers two times in just two short years.
In spite of this, James did not have very long to enjoy his winnings. Just three quick years after his first big win, he departed and left his winnings to his family. While James’s life is a sombre reminder that money cannot buy you any more time on this earth, it is also an inspiration to us all that we should cherish each day. After all, we never know what day we may become lottery winners—or what day may be our last.
