Sports Enthusiast from Long Beach Wins $1M Mega Millions Second Prize

Drawing Date: 5/2/2014

June 12, 2014 - Michael Fuchs, 58, knows exactly what he will be doing with the $1,000,000 he won from the May 2, 2014 Mega Millions drawing.  Fuchs says he hasn’t been to see his beloved Yankees or Rangers play in a very long time because, “average people can’t afford to go anymore.” Now, it’s a different story.

The IT specialist for the North Shore LIJ Health System said he’s been playing the same numbers for so long that he can’t remember why he picked them. 

“I know a couple of the numbers are for my girls’ birthdays, and there might be an anniversary, but I think I picked a couple at random just to fill in the blanks,” said Fuchs.

Fuchs purchased his ticket on the day of the drawing at Point Sunko Corp., 12 Lido Blvd. in Point Lookout when he was on his way home from work. He said, “I’m too superstitious about my numbers coming up and me not being in it. That would be my luck.”

Fuchs realized he had a million dollar winner while going through his mail Saturday evening. He ran across the winning numbers on a printout he had picked up earlier in the day.

“I was sitting in my chair and I saw I had the first five numbers. I double-checked and double-checked some more and kept thinking ‘OMG! OMG! OMG!’” Fuchs called his daughters, aged 23 and 28, to share the good news.

When asked about his plans for the money, Fuchs said, “My daughters know I’ll take care of them. That doesn’t always mean buying them things; it just means I’ll always put them first.”

Fuchs will receive his prize as a lump sum, totaling $661,800. The winning numbers were 1-18-26-35-40 and Megaball 13.