Sick of traffic, man stops and buys lottery tickets... and wins $5 million

Comment #21

Teddi — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:59:42 GMT

Okay, those odds are definitely better than Mega Millions. I guess now I can see the allure.

Comment #20

rdgrnr — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:07:23 GMT

Thanks, Carvella05.

Stupid stuff just keeps popping into my head non-stop.

(And between you and me, it hasn't proven to be very beneficial in the long haul).

Comment #19

mediabrat — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 02:54:13 GMT

It's one of the higher-end ones, but yes, $10 tickets exist. New York even has $20 and $30 games (as well as $1, $2, and $5 games). I think I read here on LP that there's a $50 scratcher out there somewhere, but I forget what state it's in.

Here's the prize schedule for Set For Life, the scratcher Mr. Mainella won on:

PRIZE VALUE

CHANCES OF WINNING

$10

1 in: 11.90

$20

1 in: 16.67

$50

1 in: 25.00

$25

1 in: 27.78

$15

1 in... [ More ]

Comment #18

mediabrat — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 02:47:15 GMT

The article doesn't make it clear, but the scratcher he won on -- Set For Life -- is, as the name implies, one of those win for life games. The $5 million quoted is the minimum payout. The default payout is $5000 a week for life, or $260,000 per year. The article says he's getting a $172,000 annual payout; I could be wrong, but that's probably what he'll clear after taxes.

As for why someone his age would not opt for a lump sum, I think you've hit on the reason. It seems like a lot of Lottery... [ More ]

Comment #17

Teddi — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:41:06 GMT

Hahahahahaha.

On another note, I've never played a scratch off, is it really $10 for a ticket? That seems insane. Are the chances of winning something that good that people would choose to pay 10 bucks for each ticket

Comment #16

RedStang — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:16:19 GMT

This makes me want to stop at the Mobil for some yummy cheese nachos and see if i can win millions too.

Comment #15

DG1USA — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 13:13:29 GMT

How do you keep coming up with these gems?

Hilarious-thanks rdgrnr.

Comment #14

rdgrnr — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 22:33:01 GMT

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.

Comment #13

Shelby Mustang — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 21:45:18 GMT

I cant undestand why these old people keep winning period. I'd like to see more of the under AARP range win LOL

Comment #12

HaveABall — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 21:42:52 GMT

Congratulations to Thomas Mainella ... a happy action alternative to negative road rage.

Comment #11

DDOH937 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:42:21 GMT

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

Comment #10

TNPATL — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:40:12 GMT

How cool!!! Congratulations!!!! So now that he won this new found money, can fiancee become wife? LOL

Comment #9

Drenick1 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:07:57 GMT

Is this from the onion?

Only if it was in California.

Comment #8

Drenick1 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:06:44 GMT

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.

Comment #7

pickone4me — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:34:25 GMT

Is this from the onion

Comment #6

Gleno — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:35:35 GMT

Way to go Tommy

Comment #5

dpoly1 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:13:58 GMT

I was going to try this, but we have no traffic jams in this 2 Traffic Light Town LOL

Comment #4

sully16 — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:58:14 GMT

Congrats to the lucky winner, only good traffic jam story ever.

Comment #3

Long Odds — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:54:24 GMT

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.

Comment #2

CLETU$ — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:32:29 GMT

Congrats Mr.Mainella,you never know when or where lady luck will strike

Comment #1

maringoman — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:25:21 GMT

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.

Sick of traffic, man stops and buys lottery tickets... and wins $5 million

Lottery Post — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:17:09 GMT

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... [ More ]