News writer
A quiet afternoon in a university library turned into something that an Oxford, Pennsylvania, man says changed his life and maybe even his luck. What began as a strange ringing in his ear would soon lead to mysterious recordings, unanswered questions, and, eventually, multiple lottery wins he believes were guided by forces he still struggles to explain.
How it all started
In December 2017, Gary Arnold was a professor at Lincoln University. He just sat down in the Langston Hughes Memorial Library to read “A Christmas Carol.” Students were gone for Christmas break, so the library was quieter than usual. That's when he heard a ringing in his right ear.
Arnold was confused about what was going on, so he pulled out his Alcatel A-205G Tracfone to record the sound. Arnold told WHP:
Upon playback, I thought I was gonna hear this maybe squelch or frequency because I couldn't figure it out. But instead, I hear a whisper, and the whisper says my name.
He went home and told his family, who were shocked to hear this. However, it started to bother him. He heard his name, so it felt personal.
After Christmas break, Arnold went back to the library, and he heard the ringing again. He decided to record the sound again, but this time he asked a question: “Is anybody there?”
When listening to the recording, Arnold heard the voice say, “Yes, people,” before he even asked the question.
'Am I losing it?'
Arnold thought he might be losing it. He wasn't sure what he was hearing, but he started to worry that he might be in the beginning stages of dementia.
He went to his family doctor. He got a high-contrast MRI and blood work. The doctors also checked for Lyme's Disease, as it can cause rare hallucinations. Arnold also saw a psychiatrist in case it was a mental health problem.
Arnold said all the tests came back clear.
Professionals enter the picture
Arnold continued his breaks in the library, and the ear-ringing would take place at least once during each of his breaks. He would then pull out his Tracfone and start recording. He would also ask a question each time.
Arnold started uploading his audio files to an online voice amplifier or transcriber. This gave him the “Electronic Voice Phenomena,” or EVPs. He then shared these EVPs with audio forensic professionals, including one who reportedly said they are not made with a human larynx.
These engineers are analyzing the audio clips with a spectrogram, which creates a visual representation of the audio. In some of these pictures, things would appear, like numbers.
Sending him messages?
Once Arnold started seeing the numbers in the pictures, it got him thinking these could be messages. In one of the clips, he says he heard, “Go to the lottery, Powerball.”
It seems to be working, as he has used these deciphered messages to win the Pennsylvania Lottery three times!
According to the Pennsylvania Lottery, Arnold won two Evening Pick 4 drawings. The first win came in 2022. The second win came in 2024. Then, in 2025, he played Powerball using numbers revealed in a spectrogram. Arnold was actually two numbers away from winning the jackpot, but did win a smaller prize.
Despite his claims about these “aliens” helping him win the lottery, a representative from the Pennsylvania Lottery said:
Playing the lottery is random, and everyone has a fair chance at winning.
'Intangibles' continue to talk today
Arnold doesn't call them “aliens,” as people picture little green men flying down to Earth in spaceships. Instead, he thinks “intangibles” seems more fitting.
He says the “intangibles” try to communicate with him maybe three times a day. He hears the ringing, and that means they want to talk. Arnold can't summon them.
Arnold does think they appear to know the future. In the recordings, the “answers” can be heard before Arnold even asks the question.
I'm sure you're wondering, like we all are. If they have helped him win the lottery three times now, why isn't he asking for winning lottery numbers every time? He simply explained:
Because they're not talking about the lottery every day.
Enjoy playing the Pennsylvania Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
