Christine Blau 
He just preset all of his troubles.
A retired Queens handyman can at last put his toolbox absent after landing a file $476 million Mega Thousands and thousands jackpot.
Johnnie Taylor, 71, of Howard Beach front cashed in his blessed ticket from the April 14 drawing this week, opting for a lump sum payment of $157 million just after taxes, New York Lottery officers announced Monday.
“It however doesn’t sense real,” Taylor reported. He stated his spouse assumed he was joking when he shipped the excellent news — forcing him to go on-line and establish he experienced the successful numbers.
Taylor — who after worked in Manhattan properties — explained he purchased the ticket at Liberty Beer and Usefulness in Ozone Park, his usual end for fast-choose Mega Millions and Powerball games.
The retail store gets a $10,000 bonus just for marketing the profitable ticket, lottery officials said.
Back again in April, staff and clients at Liberty Beer were hoping some of the new tycoon’s luck would rub off on them.
“We’re emotion really content. We’re thrilled, and hopefully, we sell more successful tickets,” Deepak Parek, a 42-calendar year-previous clerk at Liberty Beer & Comfort, explained to The Submit.
Rudy Pena of Ozone Park stated he plays lottery online games at Liberty Beer every day and is hopeful the retail outlet continues to be hot.
“I consider it [improves my] likelihood, absolutely!” he boasted.
Taylor stated he options to use the winnings to invest in a new household, do some traveling, donate to his regional church and substitute his ageing 2012 Prius with a new hybrid design.
Neighbors were gobsmacked that Taylor experienced obtained this sort of a significant prize.
“It’s a minor nerve-racking though getting on the flooring where by someone received all this cash and folks know exactly where he lives” neighbor Maria Ferrome, 37, explained to The Article on Monday night. “I nonetheless can not imagine it, that he received all this income.”
One more neighbor stated Taylor and his wife ended up “nice humble persons.”
“When I experienced my broken foot she provided her enable to me. She advised me if I wanted anything at all do not wait to occur to her. And only nice folks do that” Antonia Lilly stated.
The winning quantities were being 23-27-41-48-51 with a Mega Ball amount of 22.
Taylor’s prize is the greatest Mega Thousands and thousands hit in the Empire Point out considering that the recreation introduced in 2002 — surpassing a $437 million jackpot ticket bought in Huntington in 2019.
The jackpot had enhanced 21 periods ahead of Taylor hit it.
“The New York Lottery congratulates Mr. Taylor on winning this historic jackpot, the income for which brought thousands and thousands of dollars to New York’s general public schools and lottery vendors throughout the state,” condition Gaming Commissioner Chairman Brian O’Dwyer said.
When most of the cash raised by the lottery is rolled back again into jackpots for its various online games of prospect, the funds from lottery ticket product sales adds tens of millions of dollars to the condition schooling spending budget.
In all, the $476 million drawing ended up raising far more than $21 million for state instruction, $4.1 million in commissions for lottery stores and compensated out far more than $10 million in non-jackpot prizes to gamers.
In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, the lottery contributed $3.6 billion in school aid, agency details reveals.
