A retired handyman from Queens can finally hang his toolbox for good after winning an unprecedented $476 million Mega Millions jackpot.
Johnnie Taylor, aged 71 and residing in Howard Beach, recently claimed his winning ticket from the April 14 Mega Millions drawing. This week, he decided to receive a lump sum payment of $157 million after state and federal withholdings., as announced by New York Lottery officials on Monday.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Taylor said. He said his wife thought he was joking when he delivered the good news — forcing him to go online and prove he had the winning numbers.
Johnnie Taylor, who used to be employed in Manhattan buildings, revealed that he purchased the winning ticket at Liberty Beer and Convenience in Ozone Park. This particular store was his regular spot for purchasing quick-pick tickets for Mega Millions and Powerball games. Lottery officials announced that the store, Liberty Beer and Convenience in Ozone Park, will receive a bonus of $10,000 simply for selling the winning ticket.
Taylor announced his intentions to use the winnings to acquire a new residence
During the month of April, employees and patrons at Liberty Beer were filled with anticipation, wishing to experience a share of the newfound fortune and good fortune of the lottery winner.
“We’re feeling very happy. We’re excited, and hopefully, we sell more winning tickets,” Deepak Parekh, a 42-year-old clerk at Liberty Beer & Convenience, told The Post.
Rudy Pena, a resident of Ozone Park, expressed that he plays lottery games at Liberty Beer every day and holds optimism that the store continues to have a streak of luck.
“I think it [improves my] chances, absolutely!” he boasted.
Taylor announced his intentions to use the winnings to acquire a new residence, embark on some travel adventures, make donations to his local church, and replace his outdated 2012 Prius with a modern hybrid model. The neighbors were stunned to learn that Taylor had won such a substantial prize.
“It’s a little nerve-racking though being on the floor where somebody won all this money and people know where he lives” neighbor Maria Ferrome, 37, told The Post on Monday night. “I still can’t believe, that he won all this money.”
Another neighbor said Taylor and his wife were “nice humble people.”
“When I had my broken foot she offered her help to me. She told me if I needed anything don’t hesitate to come to her. And only nice people do that” Antonia Lilly said.
The winning numbers were 23-27-41-48-51 with a Mega Ball number of 22
Taylor’s prize stands as the largest Mega Millions win in New York since the game’s inception in 2002, surpassing the previous record set by a $437 million jackpot ticket sold in Huntington in 2019. Prior to Taylor’s victory, the jackpot had grown 21 times in size.
“The New York Lottery congratulates Mr. Taylor on winning this historic jackpot, the sales for which brought millions of dollars to New York’s public schools and lottery retailers across the state,” state Gaming Commissioner Chairman Brian O’Dwyer said.
Although the majority of funds generated through lottery sales are reinvested in the form of larger jackpots for its various games of chance, a significant portion of the money from ticket sales goes towards bolstering the state education budget, amounting to millions of dollars.
The recent $476 million lottery drawing not only resulted in a substantial jackpot, but also contributed over $21 million to state education, provided $4.1 million in commissions to lottery retailers, and distributed more than $10 million in non-jackpot prizes to players. According to agency data, the lottery contributed a total of $3.6 billion in school aid during the 2021-2022 fiscal year.