Lotto lightning strikes twice for a $1M man
IT’S HIS SECOND chance of a lifetime.
A Long Island construction worker has struck it rich — again — scoring another $1 million with a lucky scratch-off ticket.
It was deja vu for Bruce Magistro, 48, who bought the winning “A Week for Life” ducat on April 11 at Mike’s Super Citgo in West Babylon, L.I.
In 2012, Magistro won $1 million from an “Extreme Cash” scratch-off ticket purchased at Johnny’s Mini Mart, on Route 109, in West Babylon.
Most of that money was used to cover medical bills for his wife, Yvonne, who suffered from lung cancer. She died two years ago.
Money has been tight ever since.
“It’s definitely going to change my life this time,” Magistro said.
“The last time, my wife was sick and needed the money for bills and everything, It gave me the opportunity to stay home with my wife for three years. This time, hopefully, I’ll invest it and make more money off of it.”
Magistro plans to use the winnings to pay off his mortgage and to help his three children
“It’s going to help me out a lot with all my bills and all that,” Magistro said. “It’s definitely going to change my life this time, using the money in the right way. I can’t retire on it, so I’m not going to retire.”
On Tuesday, he was making repairs on a home in the Hamptons.
Magistro has been receiving $33,090 after taxes every year since the last time he won, and will continue to do so until 2031.
He said he was “shocked” when he got the news.
“The first one I told before my fiancée was my son,” Magistro said. “He was in the shower, and I said, ‘I told you Pop was going to win twice.’ ”
The win will be officially announced on Wednesday by lottery officials at Mike’s Super Citgo.
In another strange twist, the store is owned by the brother of the person who sold Magistro the last winning ticket, according to Long Island Business News, which first reported the win.
In 2012, lottery official Yolanda Vega handed Magistro an oversized check.
She urged the then-unemployed construction worker to continue buying tickets.
He took her advice. He usually buys the $10 and $20 tickets.
“I’m hoping to win three times. You just got to believe. You never know.”