What Are the Odds? Man Hit by Lightning Hours After Buying Lottery Ticket
- Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:09pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
- Print »
- Email »
Bill Isles was struck by lightning hours after buying a lottery ticket. (Image source: KAKE-TV)
They say you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning than you do winning the lottery. One Kansas man would have to agree.
Bill Isles, 48, bought three tickets Thursday for the record Mega Millions lottery jackpot, according to Reuters. On his way to his car, he told a friend: “I’ve got a better chance of getting struck by lightning” than winning the lottery.
It seems that was a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy: That night, he was standing in his backyard when he got zapped.
“In the distance, I would hear thunder and see lightning. I didn’t think anything was quite that close,” Isles told Wichita’s KAKE-TV. “And it came as quite a shock.”
He was thrown to the ground, telling Reuters the jolt “kind of scrambled my brain and gave me an irregular heartbeat.”
A volunteer storm spotter, Isles had been outside scanning for storm activity. The portable ham radio he had been using became his lifeline as he managed to reach it and call for help.
“My whole body was twitching. My radio had flown a little further ahead of me. I managed to grab it and call out,” he told KAKE.
Another spotter heard his call and Isles was taken to the hospital. He didn’t suffer any burn or muscle damage, though said he continues to have spasms.
He said he feels very lucky to be alive.
“I feel very blessed but for the grace of God. Again, the outcome could’ve turned out much, much, much worse,” Isles said. “I’m thankful for those people that did hear my radio signal, that did get help coming to me.”
“It‘s not a feeling or something I’d want to go through again,” he said.
Isles told Reuters he had someone go out and buy him 10 more lottery tickets on Friday before the drawing, on the off-chance his odds of winning had been increased.
They had not.
(h/t Fark)
Comments (46)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 591 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 417 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 383 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 376 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 417 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 415 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 383 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know 100 Comments- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 417 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
Kitkarr
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:38pmAnd my co-workers wonder why I don’t play.
Report Post »P8riot
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:19pmThe odds of this are about the same as the odds Santorum will get the nomination.
Report Post »Xplorer
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:17pmI thought this was a April Fools joke. Guess Not!
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 3:10amhttp://www.kake.com/kansas/headlines/Wichita_Man_Struck_By_Lightning_During_Thursday_Storms_145019845.html
But no mention of the lottery ticket…
Report Post »little big man
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 7:08amI was hit by lightning when I was 10. not a good feeling. I ran down in a rain soaked yard in my bare feet to get my dog who was teathered to a steel cable on our dog run. well as soon as I grabbed the steel cable to bring the dog back to the house. BAM lightning struck further down the line. my dad was looking out the window and seen what happened, I was able to let go of the cable, but I had a burn mark from the cable in my hand for a week.
Report Post »MittensKittens
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 1:18pmWhat would have been even better is if he won the lottery and then got struck by lightning.
Report Post »BehindBlueEyes
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 9:23pmYou have a better chance of getting struck by lighting than you do hearing Obama speak the truth.
Report Post »tess q
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 10:08amthat is assuming he even knows what the truth is.
Report Post »Segue
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 8:34pmI guess the odds would be a little longer than for those who didn’t buy a ticket but if the winner of the lottery got struck by lightning, those would be an enormous odds….
Report Post »woodcellar
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 5:45pmTher were so many peoplle that bought tickets, I surprised not more than one was struck.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 6:00pmIf you killed all the Stupid people… there would not be enough people left to make an Economic System function!
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:03pmActually, you are 17 times more likely to get by falling airplane parts than winning the lottery…Anybody can be struck by lightning however.
Report Post »Snidely
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 5:45pmI’m going to call April Fools on that claim. Otherwise, we would be hearing about people getting hit by airplane parts much more often than we hear about lottery winners. Actually, I don’t recall ever hearing that someone was hit by airplane parts. (Unless maybe at an airshow crash)
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:40pmI would think the odds would be lessened quite a bit considering the big rush to buy lotto tickets this last week. Alot more ticket holders than usual………….
Report Post »randy
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:31pmHey Timbo…… Do yo have any idea just how annoying you are?
Report Post »Please, Get back on your meds, ok?
CatB
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:56pmLOL .. he can’t take a “hint” …
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:12pmI’m having a hard time placing timmy. Trolls generally have an agenda, which would provacation. Timmy on the other hand…is a gibbering, random, chaotic mess.
To timmy, this post of mine might have something to do with God striking me down because God loves green grass and dead ash trees…
…Or, it might have to do something with shifting polar fields caused by eating coney dogs that didn’t have olives…random and chaotic.
Report Post »waspanglosaxon
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:53pmWow, the comments on this story are just brilliant. I feel stunned into silence.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:15pmWell, enjoy your Sunday, even though you don’t know what the hell it means.
Report Post »marine249
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:33pmTim
Report Post »collect your thoughts
Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:49pmShocking outcome. Only by God’s grace is he still alive.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:55pmYeah that must be it “By the grace of God.” You just really don’t understand the Bible. “For the sake of the elect, their time will be shortened.” That means if you are not amongst the elect, you will be left around to suffer immensely.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:05pmPeople think God is something to be controlled and use on their behalf. You don’t screw with God and get away with it. And we are at the bottom of the pool, so if you think throwing your self off a bridge will ease your suffering, you be right back here again born into the world to keep suffering until the population dwindles globally.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:03pm@SNOW …
Oh now you did it .. Timmy had to straighten you out too … only Timmy knows “the truth” and everything else .. pious little ;-)
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:40pmHe should not have played the numbers 7,11 and 13 at the 7-11 Karma is a b@tch
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:45pmOr maybe he shouldn‘t be playing at all saying he’s worth half a billion dollars to himself, and then when he loses cusses God. Because if he is worth half a billion to himself, then he is worth a negative half a billion to God.
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:39pmWords DO have power…
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:38pmWhat do you mean what? You aren’t here for you, but for God’s pleasure. God didn’t create the universe so you can blind yourself daily with sports, and have tail-gate parties.
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:46pmDon’t forget about the alcohol and drugs Timmy…
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:48pmWhat about alcohol and drugs? A little wine is good for the stomach.
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:03pmTim, a serious question: Are you a fan of Salvador Dali?
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:36pmYour the worst troll on this website!……AND THATS REALLY SAYING SOMETHING!!
Who do you think your converting with your constant, (sometimes irrelevant), ranting and chastizing people for no reason.
Report Post »People like you make me embarrassed to say I’m a Christian. I’m not ashamed of Jesus, but I am ashamed of you. Knock it off!
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 3:47pmRATIONAL MAN – Do you mean me?
Rational Man
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:01pm@JACKTHETOAD
Unless otherwise noted, replies are posted to the original commentor who initiated the ‘reply’ button.
Report Post »As demonstrated by this post……………
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:05pmThanks for being rational. Sometimes I try to reply to an ‘above’ comment. That didn’t work with BETTERDEADTHANRED. He probably still thinks I’m a schmuck.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 4:15pm@ RATIONAL MAN – …sigh…
Report Post »ObamaBinBiden
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 9:25pmhey Tim, crack is whack!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:26pmAnd it came as quite a shock!
Now that’s funny.
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:25pmWINNEr
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:24pmHey bankers, say good-bye to your seas.
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:32pmwhat
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:38pmTimmy…take you meds…I already told ypu…
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:22pmBe careful, people are becoming more valuable dead to God than alive.
Report Post »USAMEDIC3008
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 2:31pmThis man must have been a reject then
Report Post »got left behind
COFemale
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 6:54pmWhen Tim starts to make sense, we are all in trouble.
Report Post »iampraying4u
Posted on April 1, 2012 at 6:55pmtim please tell me you are april fools
Report Post »