Aico i had something similar like that happen to me once. At age 17 i quit school and started hustling money playing pool. I would take a 1/4 of the days winnings from pool and go to Derby Dane which is a dog track here in Tampa and play the dogs. After going there 6 months every day but sunday.
One day during a the last race of the day program i seen a stranger throw down a stack of tickets. I dont know why but i just stared and stared at them. So when no one was looking i picked them up. I was going to check then when i came back at the night races.
So to make a long story short i lost the damn tickets 3 times before that nights races. I had this feeling i won. I told my grandmother who raised me that i won i can feel it. She was like ya ya bla bla. So i took taxi back to track
that night and checked the tickets. While checking i allmost shit myself. Those tickets i picked up had a superfecta winner in it. I will never forget the numbers 1-8-3-6. The guy who betted about $1200 on the race didnt know it payed on 1-8-3-all. So i went to the window to cash out and tell says you gotta go to irs line.
So i give the clerk my ticket she puts it in and she says well someone had a good afternoon. Im dieing in side because i knew it had to be at least $600 dollars. So i fill out the form for taxes and she starts counting. $1000, $5000,
$15000, $25000 , $30,000 , $35,000 , $37,945 . the total payout was like $87,000 but after taxes and it being boxed i cleared $39,945. The tickets i found was the second largest winning ticket ever cashed in Derby Lanes 75 year history. They took me in back put it in a brief case and gave me a guard and walked me out.
I went home hid the money and went back to the dog track started to being on the harness races via live simulcast. Made a $800 bet the teller looked at me like i was crazy. So i went to him and cashed my ticket anf made $4200 and change on that bet. I gave him $100 tips and he smiled. So in one day i made $42k just buy picking up a damn ticket.
I took the money gave my grandmother $5k told here i would see here in a year and traveled the country. By twenty i had been to every major city
at least once and must of stayed at over 600 hotels lol. I would find a spot if it was a hot spot for pool playing i would stay a few weeks and move on. So after 2 years being on the road i went back to vegas the 3rd time and thats when i lost my ass off.
After vegas i came home and settled down and got out of pool and gambling for a while. athough i do still gamble i dont play pool anymore. Also i never been back to a dog track since that day i collected.
So i can totally relate to your story
