The NY Mega Millions is played by many hopeful players and April 15th of 2011
Was no different except that day John Gillen of Staten Island New York watched the televised drawing and could not believe his eyes after number after number of his was being drawn. He was so surprised he could not believe he had the winning numbers so he had his family check for him.

Gillen, a sixty-nine-year-old retired New York City Transit Authority driver/dispatcher from Staten Island had this to say about his winning strategy and summed it up this way, think small. He had wanted to win a few dollars so he could play again, it is how he stayed on top of his game play. He won him and his family a $72,000,000 pay day.

The father of three and grandfather of sixteen. Gillen bought the winning jackpot ticket at the neighborhood Shoprite over on Hylan Boulevard in Staten Island on April 13, 2011. A store he frequents and now has been made famous by Gillen’s win. Also the Shoprite would have earned a $10,000.00 payday themselves for selling a winning NY Mega Millions ticket.

Gillen chose to receive his prize as a lump sum payment and he also decided to split the winnings with his three children, each member got $6,925,508.50 after the required withholdings.

He was said to say that now he needs to take his time to decide how to spend his families good fortune and what to do with it. He says, I have time still to decide. Of course if he has read one of my other articles where I discuss how to go about deciding what to do with the bundle of cash he and his wife now have they would be well on there way to being set for decisions.

I discussed the need to hire part time advisers to find the best investments to make and to have advice on major purchases. Maybe Mr Gillen and his wife would like to buy a new house, take a long awaited vacation or maybe go play golf and follow the tour circuit this coming year. How Mr. Gillen and his wife decided to split the money with their children makes me think that he did just as I advise, get help. Advisors and financial planners to help make the big decisions, a wise move on his part.

With options on the table like which stock to buy? Or would bonds be a better safer way to go? One needs help and advice from a seasoned adviser to be able to make these decisions, it is only wise of Gillen to do this or you, if you find yourself in the same winning situation as Gillen. With so many options on the table and decisions to make one certainly doesn’t want to make mistakes with the stakes so high.

So having the foresight to hire a financial planner to assist in planning both how and what to do with the earnings is only a wise move on anybodies part to make. Besides just thinking, well I will just pay some bills off and live the rest of my life not worrying over anything. Hey I just won a ton of money didn’t I? Yes you sure did, you lucky dog you! But now with your new wealth you have more responsibility to yourself and your family. They are counting on you in life to make the best right decisions for you and them now that you are a NY Mega Millions winner!.

Back in May 2012 we had 17 second place winners, worth $250,000 each. That is not the
mega millions we are striving for but none the less not to shabby. That’s enough money to change their lives so they can breathe easy on easy street from now on.

Twelve workers at Fuji sushi restaurant on Queens Boulevard pooled their cash together to buy the Mega Millions ticket, they are very happy today with their winnings. One of the winners in struggling to put together words of her fortune said, yes I am very happy! And why not? We all wish we were so lucky.

Another shop owner who sold one of those tickets was recorded as saying, “I’m lucky. My store is lucky and the customer is lucky too,” Shahabuddin Sikder of 113 Newsstand told ABC7. Lucky in that the store by selling a winning ticket is awarded a sum of money for each winner or paying ticket sold. So yeah, he is happy too, his store earned more money by merely selling a winning ticket, nice. Another shop owner selling tickets was also pleased in selling a winning ticket. This is great news,” said Adam Lantigua, who has owned the International Deli on 14th Ave. in Borough Park for 10 months.

Speaking of Lantigua’s Deli We are a lucky place now so business will be good and we are happy for the business in this day and time. In the month of May three Mega Million tickets were claimed in ILLINOIS, KANSAS and MARYLAND. This did disappoint some local gamblers in NY but they have vowed to keep playing anyway.

Remember, you cannot be on the winners list if you do not play the game. So every week millions of people just like you go out and visit their local store, pre-chosen numbers in hand and place their bets hoping to be the next Megamillions NY overall Jackpot winner. Many have a similar dream of being able to make sure their families are taken care of. The Hospital bills paid or a new house and dreams of a new car all financial worries behind you after winning the Mega Jackpot.

Some people may dream of sending the grandkids off to school or to buy their wife or mother a new house. Others dream of retiring and never working again and maybe even leave everything behind and going on permanent vacation. Even others may wish to tell the boss where to go and quit in some kind of grand gesture of defiance.

More recent winners from New York includes Philip Cimino, a floral designer from Garden City Park. He was reported to say that he never thought he would be able to retire until he won the Mega Millions Lottery Prize. Now 67 he feels he can retire now. He would use the receipt numbers on sales slips. He would use a set for a week or two and then change the numbers with new receipt numbers. Cimino said he was about to change the numbers he uses when he hit the Jackpot.

Cimino decided to receive his $33,000,000 jackpot prize with a one lump sum payment valued at $24,793,388. His net check will total $16,408,264. Cimino plans to use the prize to help family and friends. “I have no need for luxury things. I just want to sleep at night knowing I’ll be okay,” he said.