Lottery winner who loves his job refuses to retire
By Kate Northrop
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A lottery player who won a six-figure prize could easily put the sum toward a nice, quiet retirement, but one such winner refuses to quit doing what he loves.
Vicente Mosquera is loving life as a waiter in an Italian restaurant, but things got even sweeter when he won a $285,316 prize in the Virginia Lottery's Cash 5 game.
Even with the six-figure sum pocketed away for a rainy day, the 82-year-old winner doesn't want to give up his job just because he won the lottery.
About a month ago, Mosquera bought a ticket at the Food Lion grocery store on Sandbridge Road in Virginia Beach for the Cash 5 drawing on April 23.
The winning numbers, which he told Lottery officials he selected using a combination someone gave him years ago, were 19, 23, 30, 33, 38. He managed to match all five numbers to win the nearly $300,000 jackpot.
Even when Mosquera collected his prize at the Lottery's Hampton customer service center, there was not much he had to say about his plans for the money. Instead, he picked up his check and went right off to work.
Cash 5 drawings take place every day at 11:00 pm EST. The current jackpot for tonight's draw stands at $513,000, up $31,000 from the last drawing without a winner.
This guy won the life lottery. He made it to 82 years, looks like he's in good health, and continues to work at a job he loves. Anything else is icing on the cake 🎂
I agree. With the way things are going, we may all be working in our 80's.
Meanwhile, I can't hit even the pick 3, and still have to go to work 😑. What is wrong in America 😅
.. Vinny didn't rock up at the lottery HQ in a wheelchair or using a walker. He is not bent over using a cane. Chuck Grassley is 88 and still in the US Senate* working.
You go Vincente!
He sure looks great for 82! Some 30 ish folks look older than he does. Without one's health you have nothing.
Great story Kate and thanks for posting.
It has been proven that lottery players live longer than most people. The adrenaline of dreaming about a lottery jackpot keeps the heart in shape.
Gloria Mackenzie was 84 when she won the $590.5 million Powerball jackpot in 2013, taking home about $278 million after taxes.
Ok, first off, nobody knows circumstances. He still works, that's not good.
I resell items and can possibly earn to that potential, stock market I made some moves. if I get enough things moneywise done, I am not working , screw that.
Who are we (you) to Judge him? Some folks work many years past retirement because perhaps it gives them joy and purpose. Until we walk in his shoes we'll never know. True we don't know his circumstances...
If you enjoy what you're doing, it's not work.
Good for him.
If I were asked to guess his age based on that picture I would have said he's in his mid-60s, I never would have said 82. I always love hearing of lottery winners who keep the same number combination for years and finally strike gold. Congrats to Mr. Mosquera.
How's about we get that headline spelled right?
Well move to Europe and play Euro millions,biggest lottery in the world 😎
If my research is correct then...
At today's exchange rate, this is around £226,826.22 in my country's dosh.