Paul Corcoran, a resident of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, wanted to buy a Powerball lottery ticket for the July 9 drawing, CNN reported on 20/7.

He initially went to a store and bought a ticket for seven consecutive drawings, including the one on July 9. However, he mistakenly thought the last draw on that ticket had already passed. So, he visited another store nearby and purchased a second ticket for seven Powerball drawings, also including the July 9 drawing.

Paul Corcoran holds a two-million-dollar prize check at the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters. Photo: CNN

Paul Corcoran holds a two-million-dollar prize check at the Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters. Photo: CNN

After the July 9 drawing, both tickets matched five numbers in the winning sequence: 5, 9, 25, 28, and 69. Corcoran's initial mistake landed him two $1 million prizes, before taxes.

Corcoran's numbers were just one short of winning the $217 million jackpot. He said he had been playing the same numbers "for quite a while."

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1/292.2 million. The next Powerball drawing, scheduled for July 21, has an estimated jackpot of $308 million.

Thuy Lam (CNN)