15 Times People Got Rich by Total Accident
These stories reveal how unexpected moments and sheer luck turned ordinary individuals into millionaires overnight.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Not all fortunes are forged through meticulous planning or relentless ambition. Sometimes, wealth arrives uninvited, catching individuals off guard. Dive into these 15 captivating stories where chance encounters and serendipitous events led to unimaginable riches.
1. The $10 Million Scratch-Off Surprise
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Richard Noll from Massachusetts casually purchased a scratch-off ticket while seeking change for a $100 bill. To his astonishment, the ticket unveiled a $10 million jackpot, turning an ordinary day into an extraordinary one.
2. The Accidental Millionaire Couple
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Graeme and Katherine White, a couple from Cambridgeshire, became millionaires after winning the EuroMillions lottery. Despite their massive win, they chose to continue working in the police service to set a good example for their children.
3. The $2.4 Million Garage Sale Find
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An unidentified man purchased a painting for four dollars at a garage sale, only to discover an original copy of the Declaration of Independence hidden behind the canvas. This rare find fetched $2.4 million at auction.
4. The $20 Million Egg
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A scrap metal dealer unknowingly purchased a Faberge egg, one of the few remaining imperial eggs, for $14,000. Upon authentication, its value was estimated at over $30 million.
5. Catching a $3 Million Baseball
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Philip Mazursky caught Mark McGwire’s record-setting 70th home run ball during a historic baseball game. The ball was later sold at auction for a staggering $3 million.
6. From Chef to Google Millionaire
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Charlie Ayers accepted a job as a chef at a small tech startup, which turned out to be Google. His stock options eventually amounted to $26 million.
7. Bitcoin Transfer Turns into Bentley
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Javed Khan used Bitcoin for money transfers in 2018 when its price was around $3,000. As the value increased, he capitalized on the gains and eventually purchased a Bentley.
8. Found Art Fetches a Fortune
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Teri Horton bought a painting for $5 at a thrift store, thinking it was just a decoration. It turned out to be a possible Jackson Pollock worth millions, and she later received multi-million dollar offers. She held out for more, insisting it deserved a higher price.
9. Stock Mistake Earns $750,000
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A man accidentally bought shares in the wrong company that had a similar name to a rising stock. That error led to a sharp increase in value, and he cashed out with $750,000 before the confusion cleared. Sometimes, a typo brings more than just autocorrect frustration.
10. Tanzanite Discovery While Herding Goats
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A Tanzanian miner named Saniniu Laizer stumbled on rare tanzanite stones while walking his goats. His find was worth over $3 million, instantly changing his life and allowing him to fund schools and a shopping center. He went out as a herder and came home a multimillionaire.
11. Rare Record Spins Up Thousands
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A man bought a stack of old records at a garage sale for a few dollars. Among them was a rare Beatles pressing that collectors had been hunting for. It later sold for over $10,000 — just sitting between two dusty pop albums.
12. Forgotten Lottery Ticket Worth Millions
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A woman cleaning her kitchen found an old lottery ticket stuck behind the fridge. She scanned it out of curiosity — and it turned out to be a $1 million winner that was about to expire. Even procrastination can pay off big sometimes.
13. Garage Find Comic Book Sells for Over $1 Million
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A man cleaning out his great aunt’s garage found a copy of Action Comics No. 1 from 1938. It had been preserved in near-mint condition — one of the most valuable comics in the world. It sold for over $1 million, making one family cleanout extremely worth it.
14. Thrift Store Jacket Hides Priceless Jewelry
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A woman bought a $20 jacket from a thrift store and later found a diamond brooch sewn inside the lining. She had it appraised, and it turned out to be an antique piece worth over $15,000. That coat kept more than just its wearer warm.
15. Accidental Crypto Wallet Windfall
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A tech-savvy teen set up a crypto wallet as a joke in 2011 and forgot about it. Years later, while cleaning his old laptop, he discovered it contained over 100 Bitcoins. The forgotten prank became a seven-figure surprise.