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

Mar 12, 2014, 8:17 am (21 comments)

New York Lottery

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.

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

NY Post

Comments

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

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.

CLETU$

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

Long Odds

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.

sully16's avatarsully16

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

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

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

Thud

Gleno's avatarGleno

Way to go Tommy!! Party

pickone4me's avatarpickone4me

Is this from the onion?

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

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.

Drenick1's avatarDrenick1

Quote: Originally posted by pickone4me on Mar 12, 2014

Is this from the onion?

>>Is this from the onion?<<

 

Only if it was in California.

TNPATL

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

DDOH937's avatarDDOH937

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Mar 12, 2014

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.

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!!!

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

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

Shelby Mustang

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Mar 12, 2014

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.

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

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by Shelby Mustang on Mar 12, 2014

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.

DG1USA

Quote: Originally posted by rdgrnr on Mar 12, 2014

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.

Thumbs UpGreen laughHow do you keep coming up with these gems? Green laugh

       Hilarious-thanks rdgrnr. Thumbs Up

RedStang's avatarRedStang

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

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Quote: Originally posted by Shelby Mustang on Mar 12, 2014

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

ROFL 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?

mediabrat's avatarmediabrat

Quote: Originally posted by Drenick1 on Mar 12, 2014

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.

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 Post members plan on "splashing out" with a large chunk of their winnings immediately; there's nothing wrong with that, but not everyone would take this course of action.  Many people would be satisfied with living comfortably and, as you said, not making any dramatic changes.

mediabrat's avatarmediabrat

Quote: Originally posted by Teddi on Mar 13, 2014

ROFL 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?

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: 41.67
$100
1 in: 131.25
$500
1 in: 1,750.00
$1,000
1 in: 7,411.76
$5,000
1 in: 105,000.00
$50,000
1 in: 1,050,000.00
$5,000/WK/LIFE
1 in: 6,300,000.00

Overall Chances of Winning: 1 in 3.95

rdgrnr's avatarrdgrnr

Quote: Originally posted by DG1USA on Mar 13, 2014

Thumbs UpGreen laughHow do you keep coming up with these gems? Green laugh

       Hilarious-thanks rdgrnr. Thumbs Up

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).

Teddi's avatarTeddi

Quote: Originally posted by mediabrat on Mar 13, 2014

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: 41.67
$100
1 in: 131.25
$500
1 in: 1,750.00
$1,000
1 in: 7,411.76
$5,000
1 in: 105,000.00
$50,000
1 in: 1,050,000.00
$5,000/WK/LIFE
1 in: 6,300,000.00

Overall Chances of Winning: 1 in 3.95

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

End of comments
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