(Mega Millions) Jackpot from Wilmington lottery ticket is claimed

By Donna Littlejohn
Daily Breeze
December 17, 2005

(CA) Pedro and Maria Meza have claimed their half of the advertised $35 million lottery jackpot with a ticket purchased in Wilmington last month. (After taxes, they will collect $5.1 million)

State lottery officials said the couple asked that no information be released about them. The state is required to release only the winners' names and amounts won, said California Lottery spokeswoman Norma Minas.

Hussain Hirjee, owner of South Bay Liquor and Market at 1014 Wilmington Blvd., where the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased last month, said Friday he did not recognize the names as those of store regulars.

The couple traveled to Sacramento on Dec. 5 to turn in the ticket and claim the $17.5 million prize, Minas said.

The winning numbers -- 7, 8, 47, 51, 52 and meganumber 5 -- were announced Nov. 30. The Mezas shared the prize in the multistate lottery with another winner in Michigan.

Minas said the Mezas chose to receive a cash payout, meaning they will be given a lump sum of about $5.1 million after taxes. (The gross amount was $10.4 million for one half of the jackpot)

As of Friday, the check had not been issued.

This is the second-straight time that a winning ticket in the multistate lottery was bought in Southern California. Earlier in November, seven medical office workers in Garden Grove claimed the $315 million Mega Millions jackpot.

This jackpot was advertised at $35 million and there was $21,419,696 in the jackpot prize pool. There were two winners - one from Michigan and one from California. The Mega Millions group "guarantees" the amount "advertised" which means they pay the amount needed to invest that would give a return of the amount advertised. This is called the "investment cost." This is irregardless of how much is in the prize pool for the winner.

In this case, the investment cost was posted as $20,895,525. There appears to be an excess amount of $524,171 that the states are keeping. This is WHY players should DEMAND pari-mutuel payouts. We are NOT receiving our share of sales.

(Mega Millions) Lottery winners come out of hiding
Check for $7,428,359 picked up in Lansing

ABC12
By Jennifer Borrasso

Saginaw, MI - (12/01/05)--The winners of the Mega Millions Lottery are no longer in hiding. The pair picked up their winnings in Lansing early Thursday. [From the Nov 29, 2005 MM drawing]

We tried to reach both of the winners, but as you can imagine they probably are living up the fact that they are now millionaires.

Keith Bryce, 44, and Teo Robelin, 37, have been friends for eight or nine years. And lottery officials say both of the guys call the win a miracle.

Lottery officials say the two formed a lottery club they called "His Club" and picked up their check for $7,428,359. That's is the cash value of half of the jackpot, minus taxes.

The two friends work together as widow installers. Both are regular lottery players. But the Mega Millions Lotto ticket was their first joint purchase.

----

This jackpot was advertised at $35 million and there was $21,419,696 in the jackpot prize pool. There were two winners - one from Michigan and one from California. The Mega Millions group "guarantees" the amount "advertised" which means they pay the amount needed to invest that would give a return of the amount advertised. This is called the "investment cost." This is irregardless of how much is in the prize pool for the winner.

In this case, the investment cost was posted as $20,895,525. There appears to be an excess amount of $524,171 that the states are keeping. This is WHY players should DEMAND pari-mutuel payouts. We are NOT receiving our share of sales.

Seven Winners of $315M Lottery Emerge
Talk About Plans for Money

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. Nov 19, 2005 — The seven winners of a $315 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot have emerged after three days of anonymity to talk about their plans for all that money.

The seven winners of the $315 Mega Millions jackpot lottery talk to reporters during a news conference at the California Lottery headquarters in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., Friday, Nov. 18, 2005. The lucky seven are Bob Guerzon, Mariza Cuya, Kathy Jones, Brenda Heller, Jennifer Habib, Joyce Onori and Kate Lynn Juergens.

"We wanted to stay out of the limelight so we could get our thoughts together," Kate Juergens, a 25-year-old receptionist, said Friday.

The jackpot in Tuesday's drawing for the multistate game was the second-richest prize won with a single ticket in the history of lotteries in the United States.

Juergens said she and her fellow winners, six laboratory workers from Kaiser Permanente medical center in Garden Grove, wanted to stay anonymous for a while so they could get used to the idea of being millionaires. Although each will receive about $25 million before taxes, they all showed up to work Wednesday.

Laboratory worker Jennifer Habib said at a news conference she was still in shock but had decided to travel, fix up her house and buy a new car. "I don't know what to think or feel," she said.

Mariza Cuya, another lab worker, said she will spend part of her winnings on heart surgery her 6-year-old nephew is scheduled to undergo. "We (had) mortgaged a car to help pay for it," she said, fighting back tears.

(There was $187,756,078 in the jackpot prize pool but the MM
group is only paying $186 million. You should ask your lotteries
where the rest of the monies went since it's NOT being paid to
the winners! This is "compliments" of "guaranteed prizes.")

Winners of $315 million lottery are identified

The "Lucky 7" look forward to new homes, cars and travel.

By AMY TAXIN and ELLYN PAK
The Orange County Register - November 18, 2005

Orange County's newest millionaires stepped forward tonight to claim the $315 million jackpot they won in Wednesday's Mega Millions lottery.

The "Lucky 7," who all work at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Garden Grove and chipped in to buy the winning ticket, said new houses, cars and travel are part of their future plans.

"It means security for my retirement," Joyce Onori, 60, of Santa Ana said. "Just having that load off my back is wonderful," she said

The other winners are Jennifer Habib of Orange, Kate Lynn Juergens of Anaheim, Mariza Cuya of Anaheim, Kathy Jones of Orange, Bob Guerzon of Stanton and Brenda Heller, who declined to say where she lives.

Unlike the SuperLotto Plus drawing, Mega Millions lottery players do not decide when they buy tickets whether to take 26 annual payments if they win, or a one-time pay-out, said Cathy Johnston of the California Lottery. Players make the choice only after winning the jackpot. Lottery officials also give winners 180 days to change their minds, Johnston said.

The lump-sum payout in this case would be $186 million, Johnston said, or about $26.5 million for each of the seven winners.

(There was $187,756,078 in the jackpot prize pool. You should
ask your lotteries where the rest of the monies went since it's
NOT being paid to the winners! This is "compliments"
of "guaranteed prizes.")

Pasadena Player Claims $4 Million Lotto Texas Jackpot

(Austin, October 13) - Deborah Patty of Pasadena claimed the jackpot matching Lotto Texas ticket for the September 24 drawing worth $4 million. Because Patty chose the Cash Value Option when purchasing her ticket, she will receive a lump-sum payment of $2,475,649.60, before taxes.

"It was a real pleasure meeting our newest Lotto Texas winner," said Robert Tirloni, products manager for the Texas Lottery Commission. "Last month was a real trial for our coastal residents, and to now get the opportunity to relay some happy news from that time is especially enjoyable."

Patty purchased her ticket at Stop N Go, located at 3926 Country Road #A in Pasadena. The retail owner is eligible to receive a bonus of $40,000 for selling the jackpot ticket.

The numbers for the September 24 drawing were: 7-10-16-22-33 Bonus 42.

The winner has requested minimum publicity.

Who's laughing now? Lottery winner is 258 million laughs
By WAYNE PARRY - The Associated Press

September 23, 2005

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - Last week, he was a guy who drove a Toyota Camry to work trying to convince people they needed to buy pots and pans, a guy whose shtick was mildly amusing - at best - to friends, a guy whose own wife said he talked too much.

But on Friday, Harold Lerner got to do his shtick in front of hundreds of people and more than a dozen television cameras, knowing he probably had more money than all of them combined. He and his wife Helen were introduced at a press conference as the sole winners of a $258 million Mega Millions jackpot, IF paid over 26 years, the largest single-ticket win in New Jersey history.

And suddenly, everyone was hanging on every joke and wisecrack the 60-year-old Rutherford man made, from how he hid the winning ticket in his wife's lingerie drawer ("It was either that or my underwear drawer; it was an easy choice") to pretending he was an Internal Revenue Service agent who would audit every reporter who asked him a question.

He said the only things he and his wife had ever won before were a pair of Yankees tickets and a frozen turkey.

When asked how old he was, he replied that he was 27 and his wife 21. He joked about being suspicious of the lottery commission security official who took his ticket, and nearly giggled when he talked about how he and his wife walked around town for 48 hours, telling no one the big news until the lottery commission offices opened Monday morning.

"Saturday morning we received a phone call from our friend telling us somebody in Rutherford bought the winning ticket," he said. "I'm thinking, 'It can't be me.' Little did I know it was my wife who purchased the ticket. We ran downstairs, on the top of the newspaper were the five numbers, and I read off the numbers.

"She says, 'Honey, I think we're millionaires,' " he said. "We hugged, kissed and embraced. I'm thinking, `This can't be right, maybe we made a mistake.' We checked it 500 times."

But the winning numbers from the Sept. 16 drawing - 5, 16, 41, 46, 50 Bonus 1 - were all there. They got paranoid, Helen said, and stashed the ticket in her underwear drawer. Then they went for a walk around town, where residents were still buzzing about the as-yet unknown lottery winner.

"We're trying to be very cool about this," Harold said. They went to a friend's party that weekend, still telling no one their secret.

On Monday, a longtime family friend who is an attorney accompanied them to lottery headquarters to start the claims process. Since Helen, who bought the ticket, chose the cash option, they will get a total of $156.1 million, before federal taxes take about one-fourth of that, lottery officials said.(The winners share from sales was $156,260,006.)

Helen, who used to live in Ocean City and formerly worked for a drug wholesaler, said she only plays the lottery when the jackpot exceeds $100 million.

They said some of their winnings would go toward Hurricane Katrina victims, as well as to Seton Hall University, where Helen graduated in 1976.

"I know that God is good," said Monsignor Robert Sheeran, Seton Hall's president. "But sometimes God is very, very good. Today is one of those days."

Harold Lerner said he would buy a yellow Checker taxi, a reminder of his childhood in Brooklyn, and give anyone who wanted one a free ride.

"We're really in dreamland at this point," he said. "I still don't believe it."

He said the couple would wait awhile before determining how to spend their unfathomable riches, and his wife said she had one purchase in mind, but would not say what it was. They say they plan to stay in Rutherford, where they've lived for the past 12 years, and try to live as normal a life as possible.

Both, however, are retired, effective immediately. And that's no joke.

Houston Winner Claims $27,788,541 Lotto Texas Prize
($20,841,406 After Minimum Tax Deducts)

(September 13) - Lynell D. Zelenka of Houston claimed $27,788,541, the gross cash value option amount for the advertised $44 million Lotto Texas jackpot drawing held August 27, 2005. After deducting the minimal 25% for taxes, she collected $20,841,406. She will owe more in taxes by the end of the year.

There were 28 draws in this roll and total "roll" sales were $71,063,169. The winners share was 39.104% of roll sales.

"Congratulations to Ms. Zelenka for her good fortune," said Robert Tirloni, products manager for the Texas Lottery. "She joins the several hundred other Lotto Texas jackpot winners who have proved over the last 13 years that people really can win when they play the Games of Texas."

The ticket was purchased at the Park Row Shell located at 1219 North Hwy. 6 in Houston. The retailer is eligible to receive a bonus of one percent of the advertised jackpot, capped at $500,000.

Th numbers drawn were 5-19-23-27-40 Bonus 32.

The claimant requested minimal publicity.

Newsday, July 28, 2005

CLEVELAND (AP) - Lawyers for a group of seven people on Thursday presented the winning ticket for a $170 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot.

None of the seven winners was present when the lawyers gave the ticket to officials at the Ohio Lottery offices at about 10:30 a.m., lottery spokeswoman Marie Kilbane said. The process was completed about three hours later.

Five of the winners shared two lawyers and two had their own lawyer, she said.

The only member of the group who has made a public comment is Robert Hennessey, 46, who told a newspaper that the members of the group played the multistate game by pooling money and all work for JRH Precision Parts Inc., in Painesville, about 20 miles east of Cleveland. The lottery confirmed that Hennessey is one of the winners.

A Web site for JRH Precision Parts shows Joe Horvath as president and that the staff is seven people. It makes machine parts. Horvath, 62, is one of the winners.

Telephone messages to the company's voicemail system this week, including Thursday, were not returned.

The lottery identified the other winners as Robert Aldorasi, 55, Marcus Marra, 44; James Buby, 34; Tonya Winters, 40, and Roger Bartlett, 35.

The group chose the lump-sum option, amounting to about $103 million.
(The group received $103,305,144 (gross) but there was $103,397,717 in the prize pool. Where did the $92K go? The states kept it!)

Aldorasi, Horvath, Marra, Buby and Hennessey each will receive about $17.2 million, or about $12.3 million after tax withholding.

Bartlett and Winters will receive about $8.6 million, or about $6.2 million after tax withholding.

Kilbane did not know why two are receiving lesser amounts. No other personal information about the winners was released.

Kilbane said the winners should receive their prize checks in about four weeks.

COME RAIN, SLEET, SNOW...OR SUNSHINE! NOTHING CAN STOP FORT WORTH PARTNERSHIP CLAIMING LOTTO TEXAS JACKPOT PRIZE

June 15, 2005 - There was nothing but clear skies for the five partners of the Lucky Postal 5 Partnership today as they were presented a ceremonial check in the amount of $41,425,071, the Cash Value Option amount for the Lotto Texas $66 million jackpot drawn Saturday, May 21.
The net amount of the prize (after taxes) was $31,068,803.25

"We've been playing for the last year, ever since we heard about the winning group from the General Motors plant in Arlington. We each put in $10 every two weeks, and research which Lotto Texas numbers have come up more than three times in drawings for the last three months," said Shirley Stephens, Managing Partner of the Lucky Postal 5 Partnership.

After realizing they might hold a jackpot winning ticket and needing advice, Stephens and another member of the postal partnership called the GM plant looking for someone from the Luckiest GM 9 Partnership.

"I checked my set of numbers Sunday morning, because I saw from one of the billboards the jackpot had been won," Stephens said. "I started seeing the numbers match. I was overwhelmed. I tried calling my daughter, I woke my son, the dog starting barking, everything was crazy."

Stephens contacted her co-workers and fellow Lotto players, Barbara Harmon and Christopher Slater to tell them the good news. She had to wait until going to work in the evening to tell the others, Isiaac Brown and Marian Armstrong.

"Isiaac couldn't even remember his own phone number to call his wife and tell her the news," Stephens said.

"We often hear how overwhelming and chaotic it can be if you believe you might be a Texas Lottery winner," said Reagan E. Greer, executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission. "It's a special day when a winner gets to claim a Lotto Texas jackpot and even more so when several players get to share in the winning experience. Congratulations to the Lucky Postal 5 Partnership, and I'm happy to present a ceremonial check for their Lotto Texas jackpot win in the amount of $41,425,071."

The ticket was purchased at Sack 'N Save #219, located at 6537 NE Loop 820 in North Richland Hills. The retail owner is eligible for a bonus of $500,000 for selling the six-of-six matching ticket.

The numbers drawn for the May 21 Lotto Texas drawing were 18-40-12-39-29 Bonus 44.

About the Partners

Managing Partner, Shirley Stephens
· Has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for the past 25 years
· Originally from the Dallas/Fort Worth area
· She said, "She plans to buy a new Lexus, in red."

Partner, Marian Armstrong
· Has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for the past eight years
· Originally from Los Angeles, lived in Texas for last 20 years
· She said, "She plans to invest, take care of my family, and maybe build a house"

Partner, Christopher Slater
· Has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for the past 20 years
· Plans on retiring - "May be today," he said
· Originally from Fort Worth (Como area)
· Coaches minor league football team, the Texas Storm
· He said, "He plans on a trip to Denver and maybe retiring soon."

Partner, Barbara Harmon
· Has worked for U.S. Postal Service for the past 11 years
· Originally from the Dallas/Fort Worth area
· She said, "She plans to build a dream home in the future."

Partner, Isiaac Brown
· Has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for the past 21 years
· Originally from Louisiana, lived in Texas for last 23 years
· He said, "He plans to play golf every day."

Woman's numbers net lottery jackpot

Thursday, May 26, 2005

By KATHY A. GOOLSBY / The Dallas Morning News

Shirley Stephens saw a Texas Lottery billboard as she was driving home Saturday night (5/21/05). She was disappointed to see the jackpot amount had been changed from $66 million to $4 million.

It was Sunday morning before she checked the numbers on the lottery tickets she had purchased for herself and four co-workers at the Fort Worth post office. The 10th set of numbers – 12, 18, 29, 39, 40 and the bonus ball 44 – turned out to be an exact match.

"I got to 40 and then I got nervous, then I saw the 44," she said. "I looked at it again, and I think I looked at it three times before I realized I had the winning ticket."

Ms. Stephens screamed until her dog started barking, then woke her 15-year-old son to tell him. They screamed, and the dog barked some more.

That scenario was repeated twice more when she called her daughter and one of the other winners.

Then Ms. Stephens did what she always does on Sunday evening – she went to work.

"I felt like I was dreaming, and I still haven't woke up," she said. "I thought I needed to go to work because I've got to survive."

She and her co-workers, who asked not to be identified, opted for the one-time payout of $41.4 million before taxes. That's $8.28 million apiece.

Ms. Stephens formed the lottery group with her colleagues last year after eight General Motors workers in Arlington won $12 million.

"I wanted five people in my group," she said. "I didn't want to be responsible for a lot of people."

Two women and two men agreed to join her lottery pool. They put in $10 each every two weeks.

"I do a few Quick Picks, but I kind of study the numbers and see which ones have been hot lately," she said. "We won off numbers I picked myself."

Ms. Stephens, who lives in an apartment, always thought she would move to Las Vegas if she won the lottery, but she's changed her mind. She is scheduled to close on a house this week but now plans to buy a larger one.

Some of her fellow winners are thinking of retiring, and some plan to buy houses and cars. Ms. Stephens, who has worked 24 years for the U.S. Postal Service, plans to continue working.

The winners are consulting with Addison attorney Earl Nesbitt, whom Ms. Stephens found by calling one of the General Motors lottery winners and asking for their attorney's name.

"I've represented a couple of lottery groups, the GM group and a group of Dallas County defenders," Mr. Nesbitt said. "Lottery winners are fun to work with because they're just very happy people."

In addition to their millions, Ms. Stephens and her co-workers have $155 set aside from earlier winnings. Previously, the money would be used to buy more lottery tickets, but not this time.

"My co-workers are just going to give it to me for picking the winning numbers," Ms. Stephens said.

(The group will receive a net sum of $31,068,803 when they go to Austin to collect. There was $41,425,070 in the prize pool but the TLC will deduct a minimum of 25% for taxes. The group will owe more in taxes at the end of the year.)

Why Aren't Lotto Jackpots Increasing More?
(May 22, 2005) See why for yourself. Click here.

$68.2 Million Mega Millions Ticket Claimed

(AUSTIN) - March 11, 2005 - News has a way of traveling fast in Rowlett, but not so accurately. When Dennis Cain spoke with a friend on the phone Wednesday afternoon, the friend told him that a winning Mega Millions ticket for the Tuesday night drawing was sold at a Rowlett store on Dalrock Road.

The drawing was advertised at $112 million.

"I figured my ticket wasn't the one because I bought mine at Dalrock Grocery on Chiesa," Cain said. "I went to work and everyone was talking about it, but no one could decide where exactly the store was located."

Cain got a Mega Millions drawing results' printout at another retail location and checked his ticket at home later in the evening - just to be sure.

"I had to look at it six different ways," he said. "You always want to win, but you don't really ever think, 'it's going to be me.'"

"Well, the ticket presented at Texas Lottery headquarters was certainly the right one, bought at the right store. No confusion about the prize either," said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Reagan E. Greer. "I'm happy to hand over a ceremonial check representing more than $68 million, paid to MAL HOLDINGS, LP."

The Cash Value Option payment of $68,208,778 (before taxes) was paid to MAL HOLDINGS, LP of Rowlett. Dennis Cain is the President of the general partnership, MAL PROP, LLC. (The Mega Millions group pays the amount advertised, NOT the amount in the prize pool (allocated from total sales). The prize pool had $68,723,673 in it.)

"My wife and I have been together since 1978. We're high school sweethearts. I think we're just going to take our time with all this, and enjoy it," Cain said. "Everyone who has called us so far has been very excited for us."

The ticket was purchased at Dalrock Grocery at 5522 Chiesa Road in Rowlett. The retail owner is eligible to receive a bonus of $1 million for selling the jackpot winning ticket.

"I think that's great (of the retailer bonus)," said Cain. "They are the nicest people."

The winning numbers for the Tuesday, March 1, drawing were 01-08-18-39-48 and the Mega Ball number was 1. The Megaplier number drawn for that evening was 4.

Bryan Partnership Claims $26.2 Million

(Austin, March 1) - JBS Capital, Ltd. today claimed the advertised $57 million Lotto Texas jackpot from the January 26, 2005, drawing. The ticket, purchased with the Cash Value Option, was worth $35,043,937 ... but netted the group $26,282,953 after tax.

Ronnie Craig, financial advisor and authorized representative for JBS Capital, Ltd., told lottery officials the group plans to put some of the money toward a great cause.

"One member of our family is suffering from Alzheimer's and some of this money will be used to provide for that care and for Alzheimer's research," read Craig from a prepared statement by the group. "This middle-class family has been blessed with an unbelievable gift, and we hope that we can be good stewards of this money."

The jackpot-winning ticket was purchased at Tom Thumb's #2561, located at 925 Northwest Highway in Garland. The retail owner is eligible to receive a bonus of $500,000 for selling the six-of-six matching ticket.

"What a tremendous act of kindness and goodwill for this family to think of others and the benefits they can share in order for future generations not to suffer from this devastating illness," said Texas Lottery Commission Executive Director Reagan E. Greer. "I know I share the same sentiments as all of the Texas Lottery staff in expressing good wishes to this family."

Members of JBS Capital, Ltd., have requested minimum publicity.

The winning numbers were 25-16-26-39-01 Bonus 05.

Two Step Winner Collects 1.35 Million

12/9/04 - Austinite Curtis C. King's shopping trip for pecan pie ingredients just before Thanksgiving turned into a holiday memory he'll cherish for years. Along with pie crust and filling, King picked up $10 worth of Texas Two Step tickets for the drawing held on Thanksgiving Day, November 25. King's number's, 4 - 17 - 26 - 27 and Bonus Ball 9, matched those drawn and King was the sole claimant of the $1.35 million jackpot.

"I didn't get around to checking the tickets until Sunday," said King. "I was so shocked, all I could think to do was kneel down and say a prayer of thanks."

King says he plays Lotto Texas more often than Texas Two Step, but was attracted by the latter game's elevated jackpot and odds. He also had a hunch.

"I just remember thinking that maybe with the holiday, some people might be too busy to play and my odds might be better," said King.

The hunch paid off. King says doesn't have any concrete plans for his winnings yet, but he thinks he might look at buying a new car and helping out his family.

"Well, I want to congratulate Mr. King for what truly was a memorable Thanksgiving," said Reagan E. Greer, Executive Director of the Texas Lottery Commission. "And in this season of giving, I think it's great that he's including others in his plans for his winnings."

King purchased his ticket at the Stop 'N Go #2141 located in Austin.

$149 million lottery winner: 'No idea' what comes next
By Associated Press, 11/21/2004 14:12

(12/10/04 - "Next" must be a divorce! Click here for more.)

NEW YORK (AP) Newly minted multimillionaire Juan Rodriguez, who won the $149 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot, said Sunday he hasn't quit his job at a midtown Manhattan parking garage yet.

Asked what he plans to do with his millions, Rodriguez said, ''I have no idea.''

Nephew, Robert Hererra, said Rodriguez would assemble a team to manage his money.

''He's not going to pay no more bills, that's the first thing,'' Herrera said.

Family members and lottery officials joined Rodriguez, 49, a Colombian immigrant who came to the United States in 1982 and lives in Richmond Hill, Queens, at a news conference in front of the Second Avenue newsstand where he bought the winning ticket on Friday.

Rodriguez wore dark glasses and said little except that he was ''excited.''

New York Lottery Director Nancy Palumbo said Rodriguez achieved part of his dream when he became a permanent U.S. resident in 1986.

''Today he's going to start living the rest of his dream as the richest man in New York Lottery history,'' she said.

Lottery officials said Rodriguez chose to take his winnings in a single payment of about $88.5 million before taxes. Mega Millions winners in New York can also choose to accept the full payout in annual payments over 26 years.

The winning numbers from Friday night's drawing were 1, 12, 24, 36, 51 Bonus 38.
--------------
Car parkers wins top NY lottery prize

Washington Times

NEW YORK, NY, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Juan Rodriguez, who parked cars at a New York City garage to earn about $10 to $12 an hour, is now worth $149 million after winning a Mega Millions jackpot.

Rodriguez, who recently declared bankruptcy, jumped into the air, hollering and sobbing and saying he's going to retire, Madan Lal, the seller of the winning ticket, told the New York Post.

The 49-year-old immigrant from Colombia won the largest single-winner lottery payout in New York lottery history, the Post said.

The computer picked the winning numbers 1-12-24-36-51 Bonus 38, to give Rodriguez's a "Quick Pick" Mega Millions jackpot-winning ticket.

Rodriguez said he wants to help his 90-year-old mother who is sick in Colombia with a heart condition, but he says his windfall "won't change my life too much."

Rodriguez is not his family's first lottery winner -- his father won the equivalent of $500,000 in a lottery 40 years ago, and one of his brothers won the lottery twice in Colombia.