$20M Mega Millions winner didn't believe lottery scanner

Apr 4, 2014, 4:25 pm (61 comments)

Mega Millions

A lottery player scanned his tickets at a Shirley, New York, convenience store called JackSpot! and when the screen flashed "BIG WINNER," he told the cashier, "The machine is broken."

But it wasn't — he was holding the $20-million Mega Millions ticket, the mystery jackpot winner sought by the New York State Lottery since the March 25 drawing, said convenience store co-owner Howie Frank and cashier Laura Marckesano.

"He's not catching what I'm saying," said Marckesano, who scanned the ticket twice. "So I smacked his shoulder — 'You won $20 million dollars!' That kind of woke him up."

Lottery spokeswoman Christy Calicchia said the ticket holders put in a claim for the prize Wednesday but she declined to provide a name, citing an upcoming news conference.

The ticket, bought at the Gascon gas station in Coram, should have 19, 26, 51, 57, 73 and the Mega Ball number 15.

Calicchia said the winner has two payout options: a pretax lump sum of $11.1 million or the $20-million annuity.

Frank said the winner will go public after full discussions with legal and financial experts.

He is a 48-year-old orderly at Southampton Hospital, the store co-owner said. "He said he likes his job and he's going to keep his job," Frank said, adding with a laugh, "We'll see."

He's also a regular breakfast patron who lives nearby, and Thursday last week, his usual coffee and buttered roll were served with the jackpot news and happy tears — his and Marckesano's. At first, he stared up, looked down and was silent before the euphoria set in, the cashier said.

Store surveillance video shows the winner clasping his forehead with both hands several times, pacing and snapping a photo of the winning ticket with his cellphone to send to someone.

"We were jumping up and down," Marckesano said. "He gave me a big bear hug. . . . Five or ten minutes of my life with him — it was like a dream."

When Marckesano called Frank to tell him to rush over because a customer won $20 million, he replied, "$20,000?"

When the lottery player called his wife, it took not just Marckesano but two customers to convince her it was no joke.

"She said to me he never checks his tickets but he plays all the time," Marckesano said. "He had a pocket full of tickets."

When Frank arrived, about 25 customers were buzzing around the winner, he said: "They just wanted to be near a millionaire, I guess."

Later, the Mega Millions player said he wanted a new Dodge Ram truck because his had been totaled last year.

As he left JackSpot!, which focuses on lottery games and has a "scratch-off lounge," Marckesano rushed after him.

"I wanted to make sure he was OK to drive," she said. "He said he was OK. He said 'I'm not going to change. I'm not going to change. This is not going to change my life.' "

Newsday

Comments

Bergen

Awesome.  Party

 

He's out on Long Island.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

It's a good thing that we have store clerks that can be trusted. I say sign your tickets in ink if you are going to hand them over to someone else to check or confirm that they are winners. Trust but verify.Jester

larry3100's avatarlarry3100

All the big lottery winners  say " This big win is not going to change my life! " ," Bull shi* ",  he will be broke in just a few years, that's my prediction.

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Congratulations to the mystery Winner Party

Shelby Mustang

So there are scanners out there that will tell you the amount over $500 much less tell you to the exact million what you won.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 4, 2014

It's a good thing that we have store clerks that can be trusted. I say sign your tickets in ink if you are going to hand them over to someone else to check or confirm that they are winners. Trust but verify.Jester

I Agree!

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

The MM result is out. I hate it!...I always get just 3 numbers all the time...2 numbers and the MB. Anyway not bad for $2 tickets.Smile

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Just give us a scanner that tells us exactly how much we won, that way we don't have to hand over our tickets to the clerk, instead of the 4king scanner, that flashes "BIG WINNER". These tightwads are part of the problem.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Apr 5, 2014

Just give us a scanner that tells us exactly how much we won, that way we don't have to hand over our tickets to the clerk, instead of the 4king scanner, that flashes "BIG WINNER". These tightwads are part of the problem.

Yeah, I wish there's a phone that could scan lottery numbers. Good idea.

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 4, 2014

The MM result is out. I hate it!...I always get just 3 numbers all the time...2 numbers and the MB. Anyway not bad for $2 tickets.Smile

Congrats on your Win Hurray!

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 5, 2014

Yeah, I wish there's a phone that could scan lottery numbers. Good idea.

You can call and get the numbers Yes Nod

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by helpmewin on Apr 5, 2014

You can call and get the numbers Yes Nod

That's right, didn't think 'bout that. Somebody won the MM JP. I'll get the PB...I hope...hehehehe

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 5, 2014

That's right, didn't think 'bout that. Somebody won the MM JP. I'll get the PB...I hope...hehehehe

Good Luck to you Lep PB $70 Million

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by helpmewin on Apr 5, 2014

Good Luck to you Lep PB $70 Million

...and good luck to you too! We half to the $70 Million...

helpmewin's avatarhelpmewin

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 5, 2014

...and good luck to you too! We half to the $70 Million...

LOL

morning

Someone won the $30M today

 

in before people complain about california winning again D:

zirabamuzaale

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 4, 2014

It's a good thing that we have store clerks that can be trusted. I say sign your tickets in ink if you are going to hand them over to someone else to check or confirm that they are winners. Trust but verify.Jester

Good advice. I often know how much I have won before handing my ticket to the store clerk and I often sign my winning lotto tickets in ink!!!

zirabamuzaale

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 4, 2014

The MM result is out. I hate it!...I always get just 3 numbers all the time...2 numbers and the MB. Anyway not bad for $2 tickets.Smile

That is quite impressive. Despite my 11 wins since the new MM matrix went into effect, almost half -a-year ago (six months , to be precise), I have only managed to match two winning numbers, including tonight.

DC81's avatarDC81

LOL Love it when people win low jackpots after the insane change in odds. Just like with Powerball, MegaMillions is going to learn why Powerball readjusted theirs after a year or two.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Where can I find here which state won?What?

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Good a.m. all!Smile

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by DC81 on Apr 5, 2014

LOL Love it when people win low jackpots after the insane change in odds. Just like with Powerball, MegaMillions is going to learn why Powerball readjusted theirs after a year or two.

Yessir! I love it too. MM will have to introduce changes to price or matrix soon if this keeps happening so often.

ANTONIO1109's avatarANTONIO1109

Best story yet, he was humble after winning Thank God for him

Gleno's avatarGleno

Another winner! Congruatlations. Glad to hear that he did not loose that ticket he had in his pocket.

Party

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 4, 2014

It's a good thing that we have store clerks that can be trusted. I say sign your tickets in ink if you are going to hand them over to someone else to check or confirm that they are winners. Trust but verify.Jester

I Agree!

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Nice win!

I found $10 in a parking lot yesterday! Hoping that this is my lucky weekend!

Coffee

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Apr 5, 2014

Nice win!

I found $10 in a parking lot yesterday! Hoping that this is my lucky weekend!

Coffee

Yay! PB day today...good luck to all, including me...hehehehe

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Good luck to all who are playing tonight! I am skipping PB and  Mega Million as I am participating in the Ohio Classic Lotto for the next 9 drawings. I am well aware that the likelihood of winning is zilch but hey I can dream!

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Apr 5, 2014

Good luck to all who are playing tonight! I am skipping PB and  Mega Million as I am participating in the Ohio Classic Lotto for the next 9 drawings. I am well aware that the likelihood of winning is zilch but hey I can dream!

That's right...we'll never know if we don't try. Good Luck To You!

RedStang's avatarRedStang

One time the scanner said $8 winner and i did'nt believe it.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by RedStang on Apr 5, 2014

One time the scanner said $8 winner and i did'nt believe it.

Jester Laugh

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

I only bought 2 PB tickets again, we'll see if I get 3 numbers again as always...hehehe

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

They will probably increase the megaball from 1-15 to 1-35, which will completely throw everything out of whack. Greedy 4kers.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

congratulation to the winnerThumbs Up

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 5, 2014

Yessir! I love it too. MM will have to introduce changes to price or matrix soon if this keeps happening so often.

Those are scary words M- the odds are in the stratosphere as it is - what " changes" do you expect to see- perhaps MM jacking the odds into the 350 mil to 1 odds?

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Apr 5, 2014

They will probably increase the megaball from 1-15 to 1-35, which will completely throw everything out of whack. Greedy 4kers.

I hope you wrong..

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Apr 5, 2014

I hope you wrong..

If he's right, I wount be buying MM tickets anymore.Disapprove

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Didn't win...hehehehe

sully16's avatarsully16

Congrats to the lucky winners, enjoy!

Piaceri

Congrats to the winners! Stay level headed! It's a good win, but small enough to disappear with poor planning. 

 

Hopefully I'll join the ranks of lucky winners one day soon! White Bounce

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by Piaceri on Apr 6, 2014

Congrats to the winners! Stay level headed! It's a good win, but small enough to disappear with poor planning. 

 

Hopefully I'll join the ranks of lucky winners one day soon! White Bounce

one day will come for some of us soon enough .....

just put your money in the machine and

 

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Apr 6, 2014

one day will come for some of us soon enough .....

just put your money in the machine and

 

Awwwwwww....

blackjack26241

Why in gods name would you take a $20 million dollar ticket to the store and risk it! There are many ways to check your ticket in private are you kidding me! How dumb can you be I guess ppl want to get robbed!!!

Shelby Mustang

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 5, 2014

Yeah, I wish there's a phone that could scan lottery numbers. Good idea.

Dont need one there's a dozen apps out there that will give you lottery results, or you can just pull up the webpage in your phone's browser

TNPATL

Congratulations, but I doubt he's keeping his job.  LOL 

Not once people know who he is. 

 

That's really cool he won though.

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by blackjack26241 on Apr 7, 2014

Why in gods name would you take a $20 million dollar ticket to the store and risk it! There are many ways to check your ticket in private are you kidding me! How dumb can you be I guess ppl want to get robbed!!!

I Agree!

shadowlady's avatarshadowlady

I usually go to the main source (i.e.  megamillions-DOT-com or powerball-DOT-com), and they will usually have a story about what state the winner(s) are from.    In this case, it was california, again.

 

Sorry, this was in reply to someone asking a question of where to find what state the winner came from.  The 'quote' function didn't work like I thought it would.

Marilyn222's avatarMarilyn222

Quote: Originally posted by shadowlady on Apr 7, 2014

I usually go to the main source (i.e.  megamillions-DOT-com or powerball-DOT-com), and they will usually have a story about what state the winner(s) are from.    In this case, it was california, again.

 

Sorry, this was in reply to someone asking a question of where to find what state the winner came from.  The 'quote' function didn't work like I thought it would.

Thank you...found it.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by larry3100 on Apr 4, 2014

All the big lottery winners  say " This big win is not going to change my life! " ," Bull shi* ",  he will be broke in just a few years, that's my prediction.

He will be spending more money.LOL

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Marilyn222 on Apr 4, 2014

The MM result is out. I hate it!...I always get just 3 numbers all the time...2 numbers and the MB. Anyway not bad for $2 tickets.Smile

You are spending $10 per drawing to get 3 numbers.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by mypiemaster on Apr 5, 2014

Just give us a scanner that tells us exactly how much we won, that way we don't have to hand over our tickets to the clerk, instead of the 4king scanner, that flashes "BIG WINNER". These tightwads are part of the problem.

Check your lottery tickets on the lottery website.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by morning on Apr 5, 2014

Someone won the $30M today

 

in before people complain about california winning again D:

Play the Powerball lottery.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by zirabamuzaale on Apr 5, 2014

That is quite impressive. Despite my 11 wins since the new MM matrix went into effect, almost half -a-year ago (six months , to be precise), I have only managed to match two winning numbers, including tonight.

You are spending $1 instead of $10 per drawing.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by DC81 on Apr 5, 2014

LOL Love it when people win low jackpots after the insane change in odds. Just like with Powerball, MegaMillions is going to learn why Powerball readjusted theirs after a year or two.

Mega Millions is bating players into buying tickets at low jackpot levels.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Apr 5, 2014

Yessir! I love it too. MM will have to introduce changes to price or matrix soon if this keeps happening so often.

Mega millions can't compete with Powerball $2 ticket cost.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Apr 5, 2014

Nice win!

I found $10 in a parking lot yesterday! Hoping that this is my lucky weekend!

Coffee

Buy a $10 Powerball lottery ticket.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Apr 5, 2014

Good luck to all who are playing tonight! I am skipping PB and  Mega Million as I am participating in the Ohio Classic Lotto for the next 9 drawings. I am well aware that the likelihood of winning is zilch but hey I can dream!

Your have better chances of winning MM and PB than Ohio classic lotto. Winning the lottery is a numbers game, the odds do not matter.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by RedStang on Apr 5, 2014

One time the scanner said $8 winner and i did'nt believe it.

You have more losers than winners.LOL

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Apr 5, 2014

Those are scary words M- the odds are in the stratosphere as it is - what " changes" do you expect to see- perhaps MM jacking the odds into the 350 mil to 1 odds?

We will see a $5 national game very soon. Powerball $2 ticket price set the standards for all drawing games.

THRIFTY's avatarTHRIFTY

Quote: Originally posted by blackjack26241 on Apr 7, 2014

Why in gods name would you take a $20 million dollar ticket to the store and risk it! There are many ways to check your ticket in private are you kidding me! How dumb can you be I guess ppl want to get robbed!!!

Perception is that lottery players are smart.LOL

sflottolover's avatarsflottolover

Ha, ha, the guy is so funny!

Congratulation for him, wishing he enjoys good, keeps on happy!

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