Winning $1,000,000 is all part of the routine for NYPD retiree

Drawing Date: 3/24/2015

May 8, 2015 - Retired Police Officer Anthony Paruolo, of Kings Park, N.Y., won a $1,000,000 second prize from the March 24 Mega Millions drawing.

Paruolo bought his second-prize winning ticket along with his morning newspaper at Kings Park Stationers at 56 Indian Head Road in Kings Park on the morning of the draw. He said matching the first five numbers was a fairly routine matter.

“I play Powerball and Mega Millions twice a week no matter what the jackpot is. I play five sets of numbers; the first set I pick myself, and the rest I use Quick Picks,” said Long Island’s 7th Lottery jackpot winner of 2015.

The winning numbers for the March 24 Mega Millions jackpot were 2 – 23 – 32 – 45 - 55 and Mega Ball 12. Paruolo owes his new fortune to the fourth set of Quick Pick numbers printed on his ticket, which matched all but the Mega Ball.

After checking his numbers on the New York Lottery’s Web site the following morning, Paruolo wasted no time claiming his ticket at the Lottery’s Customer Service Center in Plainview.

“I didn’t really believe it was true until the Lottery representative confirmed it,” he said. “Then I knew it was real.”

Paruolo will receive his prize as a lump sum, netting him a one-time payment of $661,800. He plans to use the extra cash to help his children and invest for the future.