North Carolina math fan wins $192,941 lottery prize using the number pi

Jonathan Ruby of North Carolina has won a $192,941 jackpot by using the number pi. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Jonathan Ruby of North Carolina has won a $192,941 jackpot by using the number pi. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

May 11 (UPI) -- Math fan Jonathan Ruby of Raleigh, N.C., has won a $192,941 jackpot by picking his numbers based on pi.

The number pi starts with 3.1415. Ruby, a 64-year-old bartender, bought a $1 Cash 5 lottery ticket that had the winning numbers of 3, 14, 15, 31 and 41.

Ruby had earned one of three winning tickets in the drawing, equaling to a third of the $578,823 available to win.

Ruby told lottery officials that he picked his numbers based on pi as the number has appeared throughout his life.

"I kept seeing that number so my karma told me to use it," he said.

"I even lived at a 314 address as a child," Ruby continued.

Ruby, after state and federal tax withholdings, took home $137, 012. The bartender said he will pay off bills and put the rest into saving for retirement.

Recently, an unidentified South Carolina woman won a $75,000 lottery prize after traffic prevented her from making a lane change. The incident led to her buying a winning $3 Bingo Squared scratch-off ticket.

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