Daughter’s intuition and extra $5 lead to $1,000,000 win

Drawing Date: 3/15/2016

April 26, 2016 - Roberto Tripodi of Valhalla, N.Y., has claimed the $1,000,000 second prize from the March 15 Mega Millions drawing.

Tripodi, who sells heating and air conditioning systems, said he only occasionally plays the Lottery.

“I really only play when the jackpots get high. But, that morning my daughter told me I should play the lottery.”

Tripodi said that his family has been house hunting and many houses were out of their price range. He told his 12-year-old daughter that when he wins the Lottery they can get something bigger.

“I think that’s why she told me to play. She was sure I would win.”

Later that morning while getting his breakfast, Tripodi had an extra $5 and decided to get some Mega Millions tickets.

“It was strange because I would never normally play on a $20 million jackpot.”

But Tripodi’s daughter was right, two days later on St. Patrick’s Day he went to the store to check his ticket.

“The scanner wasn’t working so I gave it to the clerk. He scanned it and said it was winner, but it didn’t say how much. Then he printed the claim ticket and told me I won $1 million. I thought it was a dream.”

The winning numbers for the March 15 Mega Millions drawing were 18-26-30-44-68 and Mega Ball 07.

Tripodi will receive his $1,000,000 prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $661,800 after required withholdings.

Tripodi said that winning the Lottery is unbelievable and that he plans on using the money to buy a house, set-up college funds for his two girls and probably take a family trip to Disney World.