You ever feel like life is just one long, painful grind? Like you're stuck in a never-ending loop of getting kicked in the teeth and told to keep smiling? Well, meet this guy—a construction worker from New Jersey who’s been getting his ass kicked by life and the lottery for decades. But, as of last month, the universe finally threw him a bone: a $1.7 million jackpot.

Yep, this dude has been buying lottery tickets every single day since the 1980s. That’s thousands upon thousands of little paper disappointments shoved into his fridge, each one a reminder that the odds are not in your favor. And yet, he kept going. Not because it made sense, but because, well… what else are you gonna do?

Then, on January 28, something different happened. The numbers lined up. His Quick Pick actually hit. He won almost $1.7 million. And just like that, four decades of bad luck finally paid off.

His reaction? Pure disbelief. He kept staring at the ticket on his fridge like it was some kind of cosmic prank. "I couldn’t believe what I was looking at," he said. And honestly, who would? This guy had been playing so long that even he had probably stopped believing it could actually happen.

Now, if you think he’s gonna retire and move to some tropical island, think again. He’s been breaking his body in construction for years, and even though it hurts like hell, he doesn’t really have a backup plan. But now he does.

And in true Jersey fashion, he’s got priorities. His first thought? Maybe he can finally buy a new truck. Because screw retirement, the man just wants a working vehicle—and to continue breaking the law in one of the most New Jersey ways possible: by pumping his own gas.

(Yeah, fun fact: New Jersey doesn’t let you pump your own gas. It’s literally illegal. But this guy doesn’t care. He’s been taking matters into his own hands because, as he puts it, "A guy broke a nozzle once in my truck! I don’t trust them!")

Anyway, congrats to this guy. He earned it. Not because he had a brilliant strategy or insider knowledge—he just kept showing up. Every day. For years. And sometimes, that’s what it takes.

Moral of the story? Life is mostly pain and frustration, but every once in a while, you actually hit the jackpot. Just… maybe don’t count on it.