Dad played same Idaho lottery numbers for years. It paid off in an ‘emotional’ win

A father of two has been playing the same lottery numbers for years in Idaho.

Then Nathan Hansen’s persistence paid off.

Hansen had to double check his ticket after winning $25,000 in Idaho Lottery’s Lucky for Life game, the lottery agency said in a Tuesday, Dec. 20, news release.

The win was emotional for Hansen of Rathdrum who has worked as a “cable man” for 17 years.

Before Hansen realized he won big, he checked two of his lottery tickets. His first ticket told him to “Claim at Lottery,” and his second ticket scored him $200.

“That’s when I started to figure out maybe I’d won something even bigger on the first ticket!” he told the lottery agency.

When he checked the first ticket again, he said he realized he had won the “second-tier prize” of $25,000 for life. This means he will get $25,000 every year, for life. The prize has a 20-year minimum.

Hansen then called his parents and two daughters.

“They were wondering why I was so emotional on the phone,” he said.

He said he plans to use his money to pay off his mortgage, and he will also keep playing the same numbers on future lottery games.

Rathdrum is in northwestern Idaho, about 30 miles northeast of Spokane.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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