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Leonard Linton smiling with giant $2 million check and pregnant dachshund at Florida Lottery event
twitter | @floridalottery

Man Credits Pregnant Dog For Chain Of Events Behind Multi-Million Lottery Win

Mason Joseph Zimmer
Mason Joseph Zimmer
June 23, 2022

A Florida Lottery winner apparently has his pregnant dog to thank for a stroke of good fortune that has now made him well over a million dollars.

Although there are more than enough stories out there to suggest a person has to move carefully after they win the lottery, it's still obviously a moment that so many people dream about.

And while we can generally expect people to wipe away their financial troubles and start enjoying the high life when they get this lucky, it's also fascinating to hear about those who would rather put the money towards a purpose greater than themselves.

But we can often find that it's just as interesting to hear about how someone ended up winning their big payout because more of those stories than you might expect involve situations that are just as improbable as the win itself.

While Leonard Linton of Pinetta, Florida was away from home, he received a concerning call about his dachshund Ivy (not pictured).

red-haired miniature dachshund with metal bone collar
Wikimedia Commons | Rocckker13

As People reported, he had been told that she had fallen ill, which compelled him to find his way home as quickly as possible.

This involved taking a different route than usual through the town of Live Oak, which led him to a Stop N Shop location for a quick pit stop.

That convenience store and gas station will now receive a $4,000 commission as a result of Linton's brief transaction there.

Stop & Shop convenience store in Live Oak, Florida with gas pumps
Google | Google Street View

According to a press release from the Florida Lottery, that's because one of his purchases was a 100X THE CASH Scratch-Off ticket that happened to win him one of the game's eight $2 million top prizes.

As Linton later said, "I still can't believe it. This is life-changing."

Since he never would have visited that store if he wasn't so worried about Ivy, Linton credits her for his good fortune and brought her to the Florida Lottery headquarters in Tallahassee to claim his prize.

Leonard Linton smiling with giant $2 million check and pregnant dachshund at Florida Lottery event
twitter | @floridalottery

And while we can see that the oversized check he posed with heralded a $2 million payout, the Florida Lottery is one of many similar organizations that either awards that amount in installments or allows winners to take a lesser value as a lump sum.

It is for that reason that Linton found himself walking away with $1,645,000 instead.

wooden dog kennel in carpeted living room
reddit | OneByNone

And from the sounds of it, he didn't have to think too hard when it comes to his immediate plans for what to do with the money.

As he put it, "I'm definitely getting Ivy a new kennel!"

With his new windfall, it shouldn't be too hard to find one big enough to comfortably house Ivy and her eventual puppies.

h/t: People

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