Winning the Lottery By Accident

A story, quote, and lesson about how everything happens for a reason

Some setbacks push you forward.

It was just a quick stop at the gas station. LaQuedra Edwards had no idea that what happened next would change her life.

With a few bucks left on a Scratchers machine, she was about to choose her usual ticket when, out of nowhere, a stranger bumped into her. Hard. The force of the shove caused her to press the wrong button.

Instead of her regular pick, she was stuck with a $30 ticket she never intended to buy. Annoyed but unfazed, she walked out of the store, sat in her car, and scratched it anyway.

It won her $10 million.

Talk about a detour.

Jackpot machines similar to the one used by Edwards that day in November 2021. Credit: AP

Sometimes life nudges us in directions we didn’t choose. A mistimed meeting, a delayed flight, a task we didn’t want. And in those moments, we often feel frustrated, wronged, unlucky. But not every push is meant to knock us down. Some are just unexpected redirects.

LaQuedra didn’t let the irritation of being shoved derail her. She scratched the ticket anyway. That willingness to go with it, to not immediately label the event as good or bad, opened the door to an unimaginable outcome.

“He just bumped into me, didn't say a thing and just walked out the door.”

- LaQuedra Edwards on the man who caused the lucky accident

It’s easy to treat obstacles like bad omens. We default to frustration when things don’t go according to plan. But often, what feels like misfortune is just life offering a different route, sometimes even a better one.

No, we won’t all win the lottery. But we’ll all be pushed off-course at some point. The key is what we do next. Do we stay bitter about the shove? Or do we scratch the ticket anyway?

Progress isn’t always a result of perfect planning. Some of the best outcomes arise from imperfect moments met with openness, adaptability, and a bit of courage.

Life will bump into you.

So now I ask you:

What unexpected “wrong ticket” in your life might actually be leading you toward something valuable, if only you choose to scratch it?

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