Andrew Piraino, Municipal Judge in Upstate New York of 68 years old, won $3 million dollars scratching off an instant lottery ticket.
Salina Town Judge, 250 miles north of NYC, said he was buying his papers like any other day when he noticed a new lottery scratch-off game and decided to spend $10 dollars on a ticket to try your luck.
“I couldn’t believe it… I was a little surprised”.
Judge Andrew Piraino winning the lottery
Piraino bought the “Triple Red 777” ticket at “Kieffer’s Cigar Shop” in Liverpool (NY) on September 9. “It looked interesting and it was a new game,” he told Syracuse.com. “I think it only came out for about a week at the time. I asked and it cost me $ for ticket”.
The judge thought that if he got back the $10 dollars it cost I would just buy another ticket. He then went to his car to scratch it off and won the $3 million grand prize. “I couldn’t believe it… I was a little surprised.”
At that point he took his ticket to his law office to see if others thought he was reading it right. He then made an appointment with the state Lottery’s regional office to register his prize.
Piraino took his winnings as a lump sum and will reportedly receive $1.5 million after taxes.
“Now I tell everyone that know someone who paid $800,000 dollars in taxes,” joked Piraino, who has been a municipal judge for 29 years. He said he plans to put most of his lottery winnings toward retirement.
He also plans to give part of his prize to his daughter from 27 years old, recently married, and buying his wife a new four-wheel drive truck.
The news of his earnings has begun to circulate among friends, many of whom call to congratulate him. “I keep telling them that I still don’t have the money,” he said.
The game that Piraino won, “ Triple Red 777”, offers four top prizes of $3 million dollars. The chances of winning a basic prize are 1 in 4,24; and that of a larger chest is 1 in 4,629,000, bounded New York Post.
Last Monday in the Powerball Halloween draw no one guessed right. six numbers, but two New York players hit $1 million and $2 million. The lack of a winner raised the jackpot to $1,50 million dollars for tomorrow Wednesday.
Other lucky people in the state of New York this weekend won $50,000 dollars each in Powerball. Those tickets were sold in the Bronx, East Durham, Modena and Yorktown Heights. Two weeks ago a Mega Millions player won $1 million in Brooklyn. In August, a person won $1 million in Mega Millions in Queens. In July, two New Yorkers won $1 million in Mega Millions, with tickets purchased in the Bronx and Staten Island. In September of 800 a ticket sold at a pizzeria in Midtown Manhattan fetched $432 millions in that same lottery.
In a curious case, this week the New York State Lottery reported that it had erred in announcing a winning amount that turned out to be much lower in the New York LOTTO game.
Those who struggle with gambling addiction or know someone who does can find help by calling New York State’s toll-free and confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-2021- 846-7369); or by texting HOPENY (