A ‘Lucky’ NYC convenience store sold a $476 million Mega Millions ticket

metro

by Joaquin Contreras And Rich Calder

April 15, 2023 | 5:25 p.m

There is a new King of Queens!

A mysterious Mega Millions ticket holder has struck gold at a Queens convenience store after matching all six numbers to win the $476 million lottery jackpot – and now employees and customers there are hoping to catch the new billionaire’s luck.

We are excited, and we hope to sell more winning tickets,” Deepak Parikh, a 42-year-old employee of Liberty Beer & Convenience in Ozone Park, said on Saturday.

Rudy Pena, of Ozone Park, said he plays sweepstakes at Liberty Beer every day and hopes the shop stays hot.

“I think that [improves my] Chances sure! brag.

“Someone at work told me, too, that somebody won megas here, and I couldn’t believe it.”

Rohit Patel, the shop owner’s business partner, described the store as “lucky”, adding “It’s a good thing when someone wins in New York”.

The winning numbers for the Friday night drawing were 23, 27, 41, 48 and 51 with the huge number 22 ball.

Megaplier was 2x.

The grand prize is the thirteenth in the history of the lottery. According to the New York Lottery.

The cash option is valued at $253.1 million; The convenience store will receive $10,000 for the sale of the ticket.

Patel and Bina didn’t know who hit the huge jackpot, but Patel said he went through a similar experience five years ago when a Midtown store he then ran sold a winning Take5 ticket.

James Carlton, 36, of Brooklyn predicted that the winner’s “life will change overnight” because “they will be able to do things now that they couldn’t do.”

“They probably don’t want anyone else to know because all the people they’ve gone to school and stuff with are going to come out to ask and say they’re friends,” Carlton said.

He also recited his own plan on how to spend such a huge score.

“If I win, I will change the lives of my entire family and start two businesses, travel. I will enjoy life and give back.”

According to the lottery, hopeful millionaires have a one in 302,575,350 chance of winning the jackpot.

He’s the first Mega Millions jackpot winner since a $31 million winning ticket was sold in Massachusetts on January 31.

The next drawing is set for April 18 with the current starting pot set at $20 million.