Thank goodness for bad traffic.
A Long Island, New York, electrician got sick of waiting in a traffic jam, so he pulled over at a gift shop to buy scratch-off tickets — and won $5 million.
Thomas Mainella, 62, was driving home from work in December when he hit a road detour in Plainview. Rather than suffer though the bumper-to-bumper headache, he pulled over at Sunny's Cards and Gifts to pass the time, he said.
He bought six Get Set for Life scratch-offs, sat down and started to play, he said.
"The fifth one said, 'You're the winner.' I just yelled, 'I freaking won!' and threw my hands up," Mainella said.
He surprised his fiancee, Donna, at home that night by showing her the winning ticket, he said.
"I asked her, 'Do you believe in me?'" he said. "She said 'Yeah.' Then I showed her — and we hugged and kissed," he said.
Mainella opted to take a $172,000 annual payout and said he planned to keep working until he and his wife can retire together. He had no clue how he'd spend the cash, he said.
He was one of four Long Island residents who took home a total $12 million in Lotto winnings on Tuesday.
Sheila Esposito, 67, who works for the IRS, won $1 million from a Million Dollar Money Clip scratch-off ticket.
She and her daughter were so stunned, "We kept repeating, 'This can't be true, this can't be true!'" Esposito said.
Other lotto winners include Jan Graff, who won $5 million, and Glenn Sternkopf, who won $1 million.
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Thomas Mainella's strategy is an unusual one. Congratulations! I think he'll thank Gov Chris Christie for a long long time lol ok I'm just kidding on that last part.
Congrats Mr.Mainella,you never know when or where lady luck will strike!
Congratulations to the winner. One can deduce that he is a frequent scratch-off player as each of these tickets costs $10. I consider it unlikely that a neophyte that was bored in traffic, would spend $60 on a whim on scratch offs. Goes to prove that you do not know when lottery lightning will strike, however.
Congrats to the lucky winner, only good traffic jam story ever.
I was going to try this, but we have no traffic jams in this 2 Traffic Light Town LOL
Way to go Tommy!!
Is this from the onion?
Can't understand why a 62 year-old would take a 30 year annuity? The story didn't mention any children so perhaps he felt no need for any dramatic change in his life. Must be well grounded and best of luck to him and his future wife.
>>Is this from the onion?<<
Only if it was in California.
How cool!!! Congratulations!!!! So now that he won this new found money, can fiancee become wife? LOL
I was thinking the same thing tooDrenick. Its seems to be happening more and more these days. Maybe its prudence on their part? Maybe its a lack of faith in our financial institutions after the 2008 collapse? Maybe it avoids the vultures? Not sure, but i just cant see myself opting for an annuity.
Big congrats to him and his family non-the-less. I love the stories when the winners get their tickets by intuition or some random occurrence. I most certainly love when long time players get their due as well. Oh, wait, i guess that means i love ALL lotto winning stories then huh? LOL!!!
Congratulations to Thomas Mainella ... a happy action alternative to negative road rage.
I cant undestand why these old people keep winning period. I'd like to see more of the under AARP range win LOL
The old timers spend more money on tickets.
I heard they're starting a new game for them.
It's gonna be called Mega-Geezer-Bucks.