Five friends win lottery after a decade of buying tickets together

Oct 29, 2015, 1:52 pm (32 comments)

Mega Millions

Money won't be an issue for five friends from Yonkers anymore.

A decade of buying lottery tickets together paid off big for the group of pals who hit the $106 million jackpot in the multi-state Mega Millions game on Sept. 11.

It was 52-year-old limo driver Edgar Lopez's turn to pick up the tickets so he stopped at Yonkers Grocery and Convenience to grab a Mega Millions quick pick.

The following weekend, he got his friends together to share some big news — they were all millionaires.

"I told them that something good has happened," he said in a statement. "We have worked hard all of our lives and to have this happen is just amazing."

The winners include Lopez and his buddy Manuel Hernandez, 45, who also works as a limo driver in the city. Hernadez's wife, 51-year-old Acela, who works as a housekeeper, and business owner Miguel Acosta got in on the winnings as did Angela Pajes, a New Jersey daycare teacher.

They matched all six numbers — 5, 11, 31, 50, and 67, with Mega Ball number 14 — for the Sept. 11 drawing.

The group opted for a single, lump-sum payout worth roughly $13.1 million each before taxes.

Pajes, the only Jersey resident of the bunch, will take home $8.67 million — about $200,000 more than his friends — thanks to smaller taxes in the Garden State. The other four winners will each get a check for $8.47 million.

NY Post

Comments

Lildarryl

nice

delS

Patience is a virtue.....

Erzulieredeyes's avatarErzulieredeyes

I love when the underdogs hit the lottery. Seems to be a group of Hispanics in underpaid jobs, except maybe the business owner. Congrats! :)

maximumfun's avatarmaximumfun

Congratulations to the long-suffering winners!  This is another story of patience and persistence paying off.  The winnings will definitely totally fund each of their retirements.  Now that is a really great win!

Shelby Mustang

That's Awesome I Hope They Are Life Long Friends And Don't Let Anything Come Between Them 

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Good for them, glad to see a group that stuck together for so long win it.

 

Hard to believe the one from Jersey will pay less.

Anyone know the tax rate for NY and Yonkers ?

I thought Jersey would be more @ 10.8 %

Gleno's avatarGleno

Congrats to these tenacious friends who were lottery players, who pursued their dreams and won!

Party

HoLeeKau's avatarHoLeeKau

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Oct 29, 2015

Good for them, glad to see a group that stuck together for so long win it.

 

Hard to believe the one from Jersey will pay less.

Anyone know the tax rate for NY and Yonkers ?

I thought Jersey would be more @ 10.8 %

According to USA Mega, NY is 8.82% and Yonkers imposes an additional 1.323%.  Lucky they didn't live in NYC, that additional tax is 3.876%.  Yikes!  Well actually, if I won 13 mil I probably wouldn't complain about high taxes TOO much.

With Federal taxes, they'll end up with approximately half of the cash value, so 6.5 mil or so.

ArizonaDream's avatarArizonaDream

Congrats to the group! May they enjoy their winnings!

rgse90

I am glad to see that they did not fight that the one with the ticket did not run away with it and that their friendship so far made it this far. I hope that the money never comes between them and they are as happy s they can be now. Congratulations to good friends.

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Quote: Originally posted by rgse90 on Oct 29, 2015

I am glad to see that they did not fight that the one with the ticket did not run away with it and that their friendship so far made it this far. I hope that the money never comes between them and they are as happy s they can be now. Congratulations to good friends.

LOL. Ain't that the truth. It's usually one friend who cashes it and absconds and the others have to sue. But they seem like decent folks and their perseverance paid off.

Can't see any reason why the money would come between them since they each get pretty much the same amount. I can see it being an issue with other friends, but not with each other.

ohiopick3's avatarohiopick3

Good Hit for the group, congratulations!

luckyk

Sure makes my heart glad to read a story like this. Congrats. and best wishes to all!

MzDuffleBaglady's avatarMzDuffleBaglady

Party

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