Speaking of luck

Lady Fortune has smiled on Tadeusz Krupa and his family over the past 13 months; the Colorado resident has won useful amounts in prize money on the Colorado Lottery's Cash 5 game on no less than 21 different occasions, triggering suspicion from other lottery players that something may be wrong, and triggering an official investigation into his winning ways.

The results of that investigation were made public this week, with Colorado Lottery Deputy Director Tom Kitts telling 9News.com: "We know that this gentlemen didn't scam the system."

Kitts revealed that his investigators had interviewed Krupa and his family and talked to employees at stores where the lucky tickets were purchased. They found no evidence of cheating or other illegal activity.

"It was just an unusual occurrence," Kitts told 9 News. "My best guess is this gentlemen and his family probably play quite a bit ... there's been an incredible streak of luck here as well."

Krupa explained his winning formula, saying he focuses on Internet searches for winning numbers and then writes these onto tickets by hand. Retailers confirmed that at times he buys thousands of dollars worth of tickets in one week.

The results are impressive; Krupa and his family have won $1 000 or more - including seven big hits for $20 000 - in Colorado's Cash 5 Jackpot on 21 different occasions, raking in a total of about $158 000 before taxes since December 2007.

9News reported that Krupa splits his time between two modest homes. One houses his ex-wife and children in Brighton. The other is also the office for T&D Polish Imports & Exports, Inc. in Fort Lupton. Inside, there is little evidence Krupa is importing and exporting anything other than his own money into and out of the Colorado Lottery.

Krupa's luck is not merely resident in Colorado - the lucky Pole claims to have won his largest lottery prize thirty years ago in his native Poland - $500 000!

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