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NEW BLOOMFIELD, MO -- A little research and patience went a long way for a New Bloomfield man. It helped him win a Missouri Lottery jackpot.

Wayne Blair, 64, says he has a method for picking numbers for his favorite game, Show Me Cash. He selected a single number that was picked frequently, and then found a combination including that number that was picked more than once.

“There are certain combinations that are drawn a lot,” Blair said. “And since something told me that this was a good number, I just continued to play it. I’ve been playing that number for six or seven months, and it hit.”

The winning Show Me Cash combo on July 16 matched his numbers: 3, 18, 27, 31 and 39.

“I have some other numbers that are that way,” Blair said. “I don’t know if they will ever hit it, but I’m going to continue to play. It’s kind of like a hobby.”

Blair found out he was a jackpot winner on an early Sunday morning. He was thinking about going to church, but thought “I better check my tickets.”

“I checked my Powerball (tickets), and then I pulled up Show Me Cash. I immediately saw the first three numbers and I said, ‘Whoa! Well, I know I’ve got those. Please let the others be 31 and 39.’ I moved the arrow over and, man, talk about elated!”  

Blair said he had a little fun with the excitement and pulled a tiny prank on his daughter. He asked her to check his lottery tickets for him.

“Oh, she cried, she was so happy. You would have had to see it. It’s an experience,” he added. “It’s a good one to have.”

Blair admitted his good fortune also was based on “intuition” and luck.

“I just feel like this combination is lucky. I can’t explain it. It’s just luck,” he said.

Blair bought his winning ticket at Midway Liquor and Gas at 300 State Road AE in New Bloomfield. Because someone else matched the same winning numbers, Blair split the grand prize with a man from Arkansas. Each winner received half of the advertised jackpot of $213,000.