Man buys wrong lottery ticket, wins $169 million

Jul 1, 2016, 6:37 pm (65 comments)

Mega Millions

Her husband didn't listen — and it paid off to the tune of $169 million.

Mega Millions winner Nancy Viola asked her husband, Vito Viola — an NYPD sergeant — to buy Powerball tickets from the 2520 Foodmart in the Willowbrook section of Staten Island on Jan. 8. She had the Powerball fever that was gripping the country.

"Because the jackpot was $900 million," she said. "It was big. It was all everybody was talking about. He didn't listen."

Instead, her husband used a leftover dollar to buy a Quick Pick for the Mega Millions — 11, 39, 51, 57, and 75, with Mega Ball 2.

"That was a good thing," a beaming Viola said Thursday as she stood next to a giant check.

The following day, the Staten Island homemaker heard the winning ticket had been bought from the same location.

So she checked her ticket.

"I started with the Mega ball," she remembered. "I checked all the other numbers. They all matched, and can you imagine what that was like? I thought I was having a heart attack. There was a little screaming."

The couple kept the news quiet for months.

"We didn't tell anybody. We kept it a secret," she said. "It was difficult, but it's exciting now."

Viola and her husband — who joined the NYPD in 2005 and works out of the 120th Precinct — assembled a financial team and claimed the ticket on March 10. They chose to receive the prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $64,796,160.

Both 37, the couple hasn't made any big purchases yet. But Vito Viola has already put in for retirement.

"Lucky him," Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said at an unrelated press conference.

In Staten Island, Viola ducked questions about her personal life or how the family plans to spend the big win. She said they set up a foundation called The Orbity Fund LLC to cash the check.

"It's just absolutely amazing," she said. "It's just a blessing."

It is not the first time good fortune shone on her husband. In 2007 he helped deliver a baby in a Bay Ridge apartment. "We're trained in basic life saving techniques," Vito Viola told the Brooklyn Paper at the time. "But we're not certified to deliver a baby that's for sure."

As for the lottery win, the family was still coming to terms with the sudden wealth. "We want to let it all sink in," Nancy Viola said. "Anything is possible. Maybe a convertible. Everything is so new still. It has to just settle in, you know, see what happens. Buy a big house? Maybe in the future. It's a lot of money."

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Daily News, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

gatorsrok

That's awesome for them.  Seems like they are planning to use the money responsibly.  I'd be happy with $1M.

jacintasc

they took a long time to claim

music*'s avatarmusic*

Congratulations to the Lucky couple. Spend and invest wisely.Party

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

If they claimed the ticket on March 10th, why is this story only hitting Lottery Post on July 1st?

hmmm

MotoX2

All it took was $1 quick pick ticket.  Very lucky and congrats to them.

quicksloth35

Huge congrats to the winners. Par-tay!!!!

 

Party

 

 

 

That is the mysterious MM claimed, now where is that Chino Hills PB winner?

Kingofearth's avatarKingofearth

Quote: Originally posted by jacintasc on Jul 1, 2016

they took a long time to claim

They claimed it 2 months after the drawing...... It just hasn't hit the news until yesterday.

Coin Toss's avatarCoin Toss

Good for them.

Any one still deny Luck?

Lep

Albeone

Congrates to this couple. Love stories like this, just proves it don't matter what system or routine you use, it's all about the luck of the draw.

ekem6078's avatarekem6078

Wow, that was nothing but a blessing.  Spend it wisely like helping  others that need help, like meeeeee  lol.  Just kidding.  Congrads to the lucky couple.

Dd2160's avatarDd2160

WOW that's really nice!!

Piaceri

It was meant to be. Congrats to the Viola family!

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

I don't think he "bought the wrong ticket"

His wife called and said get a few PowerBall tickets...He takes out a $5 bill and buys 2 tickets @ $2 each and has $1 left over. He says...Give me ONE MEGA since that $169 mil jackpot wasn't too shabby. They win with the 1 ticket!

It wasn't the WRONG ticket, it was most definitely the RIGHT ticket!

Congrats!

LOTTOKING2016

What's the date and Time this ticket was bought ?? I can't see properly

Subscribe to this news story