Lottery winner finds incredible luck a second time while playing for fun
By Kate Northrop
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A New York man has now collected two lottery prizes, both valued at $10 million, just about a year apart from each other.
A Brooklyn resident won $10 million for the second time in a little over a year, the New York Lottery announced this week.
Wayne Murray's total winnings have skyrocketed to at least $20 million, with his total take-home generous enough to comfortably keep him in multi-millionaire status for a long time.
The twice-lucky player claimed a $10 million top prize in the Lottery's "200X" scratch-off game, different than the "Black Titanium" ticket he bought in 2022. He did, however, buy both winning tickets for $30 each at H&A Gas & Convenience on Avenue H in Brooklyn.
"It feels very humbling and liberating," Murray said last year while claiming his first $10 million top prize.
He opted to take the lump sum payment of $6,122,400 after taxes for both prizes.
"Some of us just like to be discreet," he told The Post when asked about his feeling on winning the top prize twice. "I just want to be discreet, that's all it is."
Hassan Nabil, who works as a clerk at H&A Gas & Convenience, said that he sees the lottery fan continuing to play because he likes to, incredulously remarking at his unbelievable luck.
"Twice in a row — what are the odds?" Nabil remarked to The Post. "You can't even think about it. It's not comprehensible."
Nabil also said that the two wins, or even just one win alone, did nothing to change who he is as a person.
"He's a super regular guy here," Nabil continued. "He's very friendly with the locals and very generous with his time. He could have moved out of the neighborhood after winning the first time, but he stood his ground. Money changes a lot of people, but he doesn't show off or anything. He keeps it real, keeps it honest. It's a game for him, so he just keeps playing. If you win, you just want to win more."
Since his first big win last year, it's hard to say how exactly Murray's lifestyle has changed. Neighbors say the millionaire still lives in his quiet East Flatbush three-story apartment, a semi-attached brick home where he's spent most of his life.
His next-door neighbor, whose home is attached to Murray's, didn't even have a clue that she'd been living next to a newly minted millionaire this whole time.
"I had no idea," Constance Bryane, 75, told The Post when approached for a comment. "He's very humble that way. I'm going to have to congratulate him the next time I see him."
She explained that Murray had been living in that same apartment next to her "for decades." He had received the house for free from a relative in September 2021, records indicate.
"That's his house and will always be his house even if he won the lottery a third time," Bryane added. "He took care of his mother and his great aunt in that house until they both passed away. He's all about family and his home and his neighborhood. He's very special that way. He's a beautiful person, a humble person. He's not flashy. He just likes helping people any way he can. If people need a favor, he'll go out of his way to do it."
Following Murray's second win, there is now only one more top prize of $10 million left to claim in the $30 "200X" scratch-off game out of the four originally available at the game's launch. There is also one second-tier prize of $200,000 and one third-tier prize of $50,000 left.
Love this in depth story. New York lotto email barely had any information except for the two wins and how much he took home.
So Manhattan charges an extra tax on top of NY State tax for lottery winnings. Am hoping that this borough of NYC does not have the same taxation as those crooks do in Manhattan.
A nice feel good story to end the year
CONGRATULATIONS
I wonder if it's luck or he knows what he's doing.
More like having millions in the bank and able to daily buy several of the $30 scratch-off tickets and make one's own luck.
Starting to think the lottery is rigged or something. California wins all the Powerball and Mega Millions now and 2 tickets at the same gas station in CA last night!?? And this guy wins $10 million 2x in a year!???
Yeah I know, what are the odds that 2 people would win the mm from the same lotto outlet, right?
Hey, just putting this out there for discussion: what if a guy/gal purchased tickets for a lotto club and then purchased the same ticket(s) for himself?
He would take home 50+ percent right?
Maybe he saw the 13 megaball and thought it looked sexy and decided to play it for him
Just thinking out loud folks!
My feeling is that it was two friends, 2 significant others, etc., that agreed to share a jackpot if one of them ever won, so they both picked a combination that they liked, or maybe just one. Then they always bought two of the same tickets so that there would be no worries about the taxation while splitting the jackpot. If they were really smart, they each would have the same card to play, so that the store cameras would see each of them purchasing the winning ticket to satisfy the later checks that the lottery does to verify who purchased the ticket.
Kinda sounds like a Eddie Tipton story how he shows the numbers to I think , his brother, and they both play the numbers and win.
Wow PB was $11 mil short of advertised 'pot!
Would have thought it might go higher than the advertisement seeing mm was won Friday.
What is the likelihood of a billion dollar PB before Christmas?
BTW. I know this thread isn't about PB but I didn't know where else I could write out my thoughts
Wow I'm happy for him and everyone who wins. Sending happy winning energy to everyone.
See how 'little' Powerball jackpot went up for Monday's drawing? Might as well kept the same jackpot level!
I've gone in and replayed a bunch of tickets and the cashier not paying attention and replayed the same ticket twice....happens
There are only 6 draws (7 if you include Christmas day).. That's not (historically recent history) enough draws to get to a billion maybe by New year's day.. But not before (Under the old 2 draws a week, you might have made it from 477m to 1000m in 6-7 draws, but not likely under the new 3 draws a week schedule)
"Some of us just like to be discreet," he told The Post when asked about his feeling on winning the top prize twice. "I just want to be discreet, that's all it is."
It is disappointing that NYSL don't allow winners to remain anonymous.
That store gave me some good pick 4 QP's in the past.
Here we go with this. A lot of people play multiple tickets of same numbers. I do all the time in hopes of maximizing second tier prize. California winning is not a shocker considering players buy significantly more ticket than others. Also all California winners have been public. Although I still despise not having the option to claim anonymously, you can check the winners, if you're that upset.
Dude, after the 1st WIN I would have moved, not just for Greener pastures, lol, but also for the Safety of myself and those around me.
Remember, Criminals do Armed Home Invasions for considerably less!
More like being able to buy several $30 packs per day! 🤔
His Wins whittled down from $20M to just over $12M, now that's criminal***
This guy shows up at the same store in his new $200 K Range Rover seems naive about his safety. Good luck to him .I took a video of him in the store still buying tickets and scratching them .Maybe trying for a 3rd 10 million . Good luck Wayne Murray.
Waiting for the latest story of a clerk picking out a scratch ticket for a Mass. player and he won $4 million; no doubt Todd and Kate will elaborate on this!
Ugh, and he lives in Brooklyn too. This won't end well. This is why it's imperative states allow winners to have the option of closing their prizes anonymously.
$12 million is just the cash prize so he'll end up with less than half of that. It's crazy to think he won $20 million but would only get to keep less than $6 mil.
It's unfortunate he's not allowed to Ramon anonymous as he clearly needs it more than anyone. If something bad happens to him the state should be held responsible for having such a backward law of not allowing winners to claim anonymously if they choose to do so.
"What is the likelihood of a billion dollar PB before Christmas? "
Zero. Just over a year ago it was advertised at $508 million and 5 drawings later it was at $1 billion. Last July it was advertised at $522 million and 7 drawings later it was at $1 billion. $500 million in early September, and it took another 10 to get to $1.04 billion. Higher interest rates have made the annuity value a bit bigger lately, but Christmas will be just the 5th drawing after Wednesday. Slim chance we could see it on New Year's Day, but I'd guess at least another couple of drawings. And of course it has to not get hit first.
Hard to believe , the guy wins twice is hard enough to buy into.But equally difficult to buy into the same store having 2 10 million dollar tickets? Come on what are their 2 or 3 winning tickets with that amount in the whole STATE!! Yet this retailer had 2 winning tickets, geez come on..
"what are their 2 or 3 winning tickets with that amount in the whole STATE!! "
Right? If only there was some way, maybe some collection of tubes or something, that would let us find out stuff like that.
I live in Brooklyn and I am an avid $10 $20 $30 scratcher. It is very rare for a gas station in Brooklyn to have a $10 million dollar winner. Having a second $10 million dollar winner and both were $30 scratch offs.
To me, there's something fishy going on.
I just cannot believe it. The odds of the same store, same person and both on a $30 scratch off a year apart.
I just can't believe it. I just keep shaking my head.
Anyone else feel the same? I hope the NYL investigates.