Staten Island Man Claims $245.6 Million Powerball Jackpot
Friday September 28th 2018The New York Powerball winner from August 11th has finally come forward to claim his $245.6 million jackpot, a month and a half after the draw took place. Nandlall Mangal, from Staten Island, bought his lucky ticket when he was out grocery shopping and was left ‘freaking out’ when he discovered he had won.
Mangal, a 42-year-old construction worker, matched the numbers 5, 43, 56, 62 and 68, plus Powerball 24, after purchasing a $6 Quick Pick from the Stop & Shop store on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp on the day of the draw. He only usually plays when the jackpot goes above $100 million and decided ‘that was a good time to buy tickets’.
He did not actually find out that he was a winner until some time later, as he had gone out of town for a week and a half and left the ticket on his kitchen table. Recalling what happened, he told New York Lottery officials: “I realized no one...had come forward, so I said, ‘Let me check it - you never know’.”
Speaking about the mixture of emotions he felt when he checked his ticket, Mangal said he felt both excited and nervous, adding that the news still hadn’t properly sunk in.
Planning To Relax And Visit Hawaii
The New York Lottery confirmed in a press release that Mangal had decided to claim the money in the form of a trust, named the Sea & Sand Trust. He opted for the one-time lump sum rather than the annuity, with the payment totaling $99,321,975 after tax.
Mangal has carried on going to work for the past few weeks since finding out about his win, but replied ‘No’ when asked whether he would be going in tomorrow. He added: “Right now I just plan to relax and see where it goes from here.” He is also keen to travel and revealed that he has always wanted to go to Hawaii.
The Stop & Shop store has also received a check for $10,000 as a bonus for selling the winning ticket, and that money will be donated to a local community scheme called Project Hospitality. Store manager Larry Diantonio said: “Stop & Shop has been involved with Project Hospitality for a long time. The service that they provide to the Staten Island community is vital and invaluable.”
The Powerball jackpot has not been won since Mangal’s success in August, and is already back up to $213 million ahead of the next drawing on Saturday night. Players in New York will be confident of striking it lucky again, as Mangal was the 91st player this year to claim a prize of $1 million or more on the state’s wide range of games.
Latest News