The Biggest Lottery Wins New York Has Ever Seen

It is hard to believe that a person’s life can change overnight. When ordering a lottery game ticket, it seems as if there is no chance of winning the big prize. But thanks to the New York Lottery games, jackpots are handed out almost every day. When you order official New York Lottery game tickets and join lottery draws online at theLotter NY, you have a chance at winning huge cash prizes. Listed below are some of New York’s biggest lottery game winners. Will we be adding the story of your jackpot win next?

$476 million - April 14, 2023 - Johnnie Taylor

A 71-year-old New Yorker who recently retired has now been given the chance to enjoy retirement to the fullest. The Mega Millions jackpot won by Johnnie Taylor is the largest jackpot ever won in New York.

Johnnie won the New York record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot worth $476 million on April 14, 2023- he has chosen to take home the cash value of the prize, giving him more than $157 million after state and federal taxes are deducted.

$432 million - September 21, 2021 - Goodtimez LLC

Two players on behalf Goodtimes, LLC claimed the big Mega Millions jackpot of $432 million in the draw on September 21, 2021. They were the only players to match all six numbers drawn - the white balls 36, 41, 45, 51 and 56, plus the gold Mega Ball 13.

$343.9 million - October 27, 2018 - Robert Bailey

The winning numbers in the Powerball draw on October 27, 2018 were 8-12-13-19-27 and the Powerball number was 4. "These look like my numbers," said sixty-seven-year old Robert Bailey, a retired federal government employee from Manhattan, after checking online.

They were indeed, entitling Bailey to half of a $687.8 million jackpot!

"A family member gave me the numbers over twenty-five years ago and I faithfully play them,” Bailey said.

Bailey's winning ticket was worth $343.9 million and he chose to take a single lump sum payment. After withholdings, Bailey received a prize of $125,396,690. Will Bailey continue to participate in lottery games after his amazing win? "Yes, I will continue playing my numbers until this train runs out!”

$169 million - January 8, 2016 - Nancy Viola

Nancy Viola, a homemaker living in Staten Island, was caught up in Powerball fever when that lottery game's jackpot neared $1 billion in January 2016. She sent her husband to Foodmart on Victory Boulevard in Willowbrook to purchase Powerball tickets for the next draw, but this time, with his two extra dollars, he purchased a Mega Millions ticket instead.

After the Mega Millions draw on January 8, 2016, Nancy and her husband checked their ticket over and over in complete disbelief. They had hit the jackpot! “There are no words to describe it. I still can’t believe it. It’s surreal, but exciting and wonderful at the same time. I’ve thought about my plans and want to make some investments and just be secure for the future,” Nancy stated. They decided to take the lump sum cash prize of $64,796,160 and just like that, their lives changed forever.

$326 million - January 12, 2015 - Harold Diamond

Harold Diamond, an 80-year-old retired school principal from Wurtsboro, was driving home with his wife when they encountered very bad weather. Harold’s wife became very nervous and made him pull over. Reluctantly, he stopped the car. While they waited out the storm, they grabbed some food and Harold purchased a 10-line $10 quick pick Mega Millions ticket for the draw on January 12, 2015. Unbelievably, Harold hit the jackpot!

“I was in a ditcher, a real daze” he said when he found out. There is no better feeling in the world than financial stability, especially at a crucial time in your life like retirement. For Harold and his family, this win allowed him to have just that. Harold took the lump sum cash prize of $130,676,438 and said that he planned on sharing his win with his family and his community.

$126 million - February 27, 2015 - Tammy Pratt

Tammy Pratt had one rule: only buy lottery game tickets when stopping for gas. One day between meetings, the real estate agent from South Fallsburg stopped for gas and to purchase tickets at the South Fallsburg Food Mart for the February 27, 2015 Mega Millions draw. But this time, she bought $4 worth of tickets instead of her usual $1. “I just had a feeling I should get more than one,” Pratt said.

After the winning numbers were announced, Tammy heard that the sole winner of the jackpot was from her town. Jokingly, she told her husband they had the winning ticket, but when she compared the winning numbers to her ticket, she saw that the last line actually matched up. Tammy elected to take the lump sum cash prize of $54,000,000. Although already content in her life, Tammy said that she was also excited for “this added adventure.” She immediately put herself on a waitlist for a brand-new Tesla.

Amazingly, Tammy lives in Sullivan County, an upstate county of 76,000 residents which is also Harold Diamond’s home. It’s quite unusual for such a small community to have two winners of $100 million-plus Mega Millions jackpots in just three months!

Order Lottery Tickets Online

Imagine if these winners had access to order their lottery game tickets online! They could order their tickets from anywhere in New York at theLotter NY. Also, they wouldn’t need to wait to see if they had won lottery game prizes. With theLotter NY’s SMS and email notifications, you will be notified of your winnings on the spot! These lucky New Yorkers became millionaires, so could you!