A retired security guard found a $24 million lottery ticket in his closet two days before it expired

Procrastination usually has a cost, but for Jimmie Smith, a retired security guard from New Jersey, it almost cost him $24 million.

Smith, 68, had been buying lottery tickets in New York and New Jersey since the 1960s. However, he wasn't exactly diligent about checking them. Instead, he treated them like collectibles, stuffing them into the pockets of his shirts and stacking them in his closet, always telling himself he would "check them when I have the time."

That habit nearly led to a disaster.

A hand holds multiple lottery ticketsCanva

On May 25, 2016, Smith bought a ticket at a grocery and tobacco shop in Lower Manhattan. The winning numbers—5, 12, 13, 22, 25, and 35—were drawn, but nobody came forward.

Nearly a year later, the New York Gaming Commission grew concerned. The one-year deadline to claim the prize was approaching fast. They released a public plea, urging players to check their old hiding spots.

“We urge New York Lottery players: Check your pockets. Check your glove box. Look under the couch cushions. If you have this winning ticket, we look forward to meeting you,” Gweneth Dean, director of the Commission’s Division of the Lottery, said at the time.

Smith happened to see the announcement on the evening news. Prompted by the segment, he finally decided to go through the archives in his closet.

"I ended up with a stack—a pile of tickets, including the one they were talking about on the news," he told lottery officials.

Hundred dollar bills spread outCanva

When he matched the numbers on a ticket found in an old shirt to the numbers on the screen, he went into shock.

“I stood there for a minute thinking, ‘Do I see what I think I see?'” he told NJ.com. “I had to stick my head out the window and breathe some fresh air. I was in serious doubt. I really had to convince myself this was real.”

It was very real. Even more incredibly, Smith completed the claim form on May 23, 2017—just two days before the ticket would have become a worthless piece of paper.

After the initial excitement, Smith took a methodical approach to his new wealth. He reportedly spent months consulting with lawyers and financial advisors before officially coming forward to complete the paperwork. He ultimately chose to receive his winnings in installments over 26 years, securing a legacy that was literally hiding in his laundry.

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This article originally appeared last year.