GARFIELD, N.J., Feb. 10 (UPI) -- A New Jersey man who purchased two identical lottery tickets is taking home more than $585,000, state lottery officials said.

New Jersey Lottery Officials said John Roland of Garfield purchased two Jersey Cash 5 tickets with identical numbers and each ticket entitles him to a $292,935 prize, about two thirds of the jackpot from the Dec. 12 drawing, which had one other winner, the (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger reported Monday.


Officials said Roland would have received only half of the jackpot if he had only purchased one ticket.

Roland also held a third ticket that matched some numbers, earning him an additional $515.

The big winner said he didn't mean to purchase identical tickets.

"I told the clerk my numbers for the first ticket," he told lottery officials. "Then I filled out another bet slip with the same numbers and three other sets of numbers."

Lottery officials said Roland told them he plans to invest his winnings.

The officials said the holder of the third winning ticket from the Dec. 12 drawing has yet to come forward.