May 1, 2026
For many people, a bird flying in their car window might be nothing more than a cute story. But for one Akron, Ohio man, it was a sign that a life-changing moment was coming.
The man was eating lunch in his car when a sparrow flew through his open window and landed on the floor of the passenger side. The Ohio Lottery (1) reported he took it as a sign, but wasn’t sure what it meant.
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It all became evident a week later when he bought three Set for Life Scratch-Offs and the My Lotto rewards app revealed the word “Life” when he scanned the second ticket.
On a wing and a prayer
The Ohio man, who believed the bird was “bringing him a message,” was excited when he saw the word Life, believing he’d won $120,000. The actual windfall turned out even bigger.
After his excitement ebbed, he discovered that the ticket was the grand prize winner. He wouldn’t collect $120,000 once. He’d receive that amount every year for 20 years.
Like many lottery winners, however, he opted for the lump sum cash option of $1.2 million instead of the $2.4 million annuity. After taxes, he takes home about $879,000, perhaps because of a little bird.
Even though the Ohio man shared his story of the good-luck bird, he wished to remain anonymous (2).
He isn’t the first to believe a bird played a role in his good fortune. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (3) says bird superstitions are common and have persisted for hundreds of years. In fact, King Charles II of England believed England would fall without ravens at the Tower of London. He insisted that birds be kept there permanently, and some remain today.
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How to feather your nest
The Ohio Lottery said the winner won’t rely on birds for financial advice. He plans to keep the money in his bank account until he talks with a financial advisor, which is a smart move.
The American Bankruptcy Institute (4) reports lottery winners are more likely than the average American to declare bankruptcy within three to five years after a win. Many people simply spend too much, too fast, or fall victim to scammers or demands for money.
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The best way to avoid that is to invest the money, make reasonable withdrawals and keep living on a budget.
In this case, the $879,000 could be invested in index funds, and the winner could follow the 4% rule used to make retirement money last. Withdrawing 4% of the invested amount would give him an extra $35,160 to spend each year indefinitely.
That doesn’t mean living like a millionaire, but it would offer a nice financial cushion and help the money last.
Eat like a sparrow?
Whether the sparrow had anything to do with the win is unclear, but one thing is certain: most people will not be this lucky.
Davidson College (5) estimates the odds of winning a lottery jackpot are about one in 300 million. You are roughly 300 times more likely to be struck by lightning than to win a grand prize.
For most people, building a nest egg comes down to the old-fashioned way: spend less than you earn, save consistently and invest over time. It may not be as exciting as a lucky bird, but it is far more reliable.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Ohio Lottery (1); Akron Beacon Journal (2); Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (3); American Bankruptcy Institute (4); Davidson College (5)
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Christy Bieber has 15 years of experience as a personal finance and legal writer. She has written for many publications including Forbes, Kilplinger, CNN, WSJ, Credit Karma, Insurify and more.
