The idea that lightning won't strike the same place twice is a dangerous myth. Lightning can — and does — strike the same place more than once. ... The lightning strike equalizes the positive and negative charges, and then they begin to build up again.

Why do people say lightning never strikes twice?

“Lightning never strikes the same place twice” is a common phrase you've probably heard before, often used to reassure someone that whatever bad thing has happened, it won't happen again. ... This creates a stepped leader, or the lightning bolt, that travels downward until it reaches the ground.

What are the odds of lightning striking twice?

The chance of being struck twice by lightning is 1 in 9 million. While the chances of lightning striking a person twice are low, they are still higher than the odds of winning the Powerball.