The NY State Lottery office confirmed that the winning ticket for the $319 million Mega Millions jackpot—which was sold in Albany—was claimed earlier this week. Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman said, "Late in the day [on Monday], we got a call saying, 'Can we come in?' As expected, they were busy meeting with the people they wanted to meet with before they came in here." People being lawyers and financial consultants. It's believed the winners were seven state employees, which means each one would get over $19 million (after taxes). more ›

Winning $319 million is life-changing—even if you have to split it seven ways. So we're guessing that the winners of Friday's $319 million Mega Millions jackpot, who are rumored to be NY State workers, are trying to get things in order and consulting with lawyers and financial planners (like other big winners) before identifying themselves to the state lottery offices. Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman told the Post, "Ninety-nine percent of the people coming in winners do it that way these days. Three-hundred and nineteen million is an unimaginable amount of money. Most want a plan before the money enters their hands." more ›

So that winning ticket for the $319 million Mega Millions that was sold in Albany? As it turns out, the winners seem to be a group NY State employees—the Post reports, "The winning ticket was one of several bought by members of an office pool at a convenience store less than a block from their workplace... Other sources said the winners work for the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal." more ›

There was a winning ticket for the now $319 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot—and it was sold at a convenience store in Albany! The AP reports, "New York Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman says the winning jackpot ticket for Friday's drawing was sold at Coulson's News Center, located just a few blocks from the state Capitol." more ›

Yesterday's $355 million Mega Millions jackpot fostered many dreams, most of which are dead today. Psychics and spiritualists believed that the winner would be a woman (probably a Gemini) from New York... but the two lucky ticket holders are out-of-towners, from Idaho and Washington to be exact. According to CNN, their odds were one in 176 million! And the psychics weren't totally wrong, there were eleven $250,000 Mega Millions Winners from New York. more ›

Every time a local hits the Mega Millions jackpot do you consider getting in on the action; what's a buck a week, anyway? The latest winner purchased his $64MM winning ticket at 72 Lucky Lotto in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn—where owner Dharmesh (Danny) Chokshi plans on making signs to announce the big win happened there. He also told the Daily News, "I wish the winner all the best. I just hope they appreciate it." It's unclear if Chokshi is looking for a little tip from the winner, but he'll already be receiving $10,000 from Mega Millions for selling the ticket. As for the winner, the Brooklyn man will be revealed in the future, but for now the paper notes he chose to take the lump sum of $42,049,934—before taxes. more ›

Last week, it was announced that the $162 million Mega Millions ticket had been sold at the Cards and Things store in Rocky Point, Long Island. Newsday (subscription req'd) reports that there are numerous rumors about who might be the lucky winner: Is it "a kindly priest who plans to give all the money to the church" or "an elderly man - possibly with a glass eye - who worked for years as a janitor at Stony Brook University Medical Center and has gone into hiding"? Or does the "big ticket [remain] unclaimed because it blew away in the wind"? It took a while for a Queens MTA worker to pick up his big Mega Millions jackpot earlier this year—he contacted a lawyer first! more ›

The multi-state lottery drawing, Mega Millions, was up to $333 million when last night's drawing occurred—and one of the two winning tickets was sold in the Bronx! The winning numbers: 1-17-31-37-54, and the Mega Ball number was 31. The Daily News reports, "After taxes, the cash payout is estimated at $210.4 million. If no winners emerge, the jackpot will go up to $430 million - the largest lottery payout ever." Lottery ticket sellers wouldn't mind, as bigger jackpots mean more sales; a Lower East Side bodega owner said, "Some people buy $20 and $50 worth of tickets. One guy bought $100 worth today." And Newsday reveals, "Three New Yorkers, including one in Queens and one in the Bronx, hit for the second prize, worth $250,000. They had all five numbers correct, but failed to hit the Mega ball." Late last month, MTA worker Aubrey Boyce revealed he won the July 7 Mega Millions jackpot (he took a $55 million cash lump sum from the $133 million total) three weeks after the drawing. more ›

If you're in Queens, start watching the sidewalk for stray lottery tickets! The Daily News reports that the person who purchased the winning Mega Millions ticket at the Shiz Convenience Store on Hillside Avenue, has yet to come forward and cash in the $133 million golden ticket. The paper notes that there was only one ticket that matched all six numbers in last night's drawing, and the winner had the computer pick the numbers. This Friday the jackpot is down to $12 million—have you been playing more during the recent economic downturn in an effort to bail yourself out? more ›

Staten Island's Danielle Masseria (MySpace) says her "whole life changed" in June 2007 while working at an Ecko Unlimited outlet store in the Jersey Gardens mall in Elizabeth. In a sexual harassment lawsuit filed last week against the company, she says that she was humiliated by store manager Kirk Rummer, who sneaked up behind her and allegedly stuck his hands into the back of her pants. The suit says, "He then grabbed and pulled her panties and jeans away from her body and threw a fistful of coins down into the crack of her buttocks." Masseria's co-worker allegedly chimed in by shouting, "Jackpot! Jackpot!" Now Masseria says, "I don't trust anyone." Speaking to the Post—which went with the headline GAL TAKES A CRACK AT SUING OVER 'COINS DOWN BUTT'—the coworker says, "The way it's portrayed in the complaint is completely untrue." Maybe you had to be there? more ›

A 22-year old Manhattan deli clerk that took the late shift on New Year's Eve lucked out when he bought himself a winning scratch-off ticket. While everyone else was welcoming 2008 with friends and family, the Yemen native's wife and baby were still living a world away, so Waleed Alsaidi bought himself a little present at his family's deli in Harlem to pass time on the lonely shift. more ›