By Ivan Pereira
The state Lotto announced this week that a group of Queens lottery players hit the jackpot last year.
Six individuals from neighborhoods such as Ridgewood, Floral Park, Jamaica and Flushing playing different lottery games netted a total of nearly $700,000, according to the state.
Jose Barreto of Ridgewood took home an early Christmas present after he won $250,000 in the Dec. 15 drawing of the Mega Millions game. Barreto bought his winning ticket at a 7-Eleven shop in Roslyn, L.I., according to the state Lotto.
Fellow Ridgewood resident Ivan Quichimbo also ended the year with some extra cash in his wallet from a Mega Millions win. He was awarded $10,000 in the Dec. 22 drawing for a ticket he purchased at the N & D Deli at 665 Onderdonk Ave. in Ridgewood, the state Lotto said.
A Floral Park man was also a winner in the Dec. 15 Mega Millions drawing. Peter Scordino’s $250,000 winning ticket was purchased at Priyanka at 259-09 Hillside Ave. in Floral Park, according to New York Lottery.
But the lotto luck was not limited to the Christmas season.
Sylvia Nazaire of St. Albans won more than $15,000 during the Nov. 18 drawing of the Take Five game. She purchased her ticket from a convenience store in Elmont, L.I., New York Lottery said.
Yesenia Castillo, who also lives in southeast Queens, won $50,000 during a Feb. 6 drawing for the Win 4 game. The Jamaica lottery player purchased the ticket at a grocery store in Brooklyn, according to the state.
In October, Flushing resident Paresh Makwana also became a lottery winner. Makwana won $123,366 in that week’s lotto drawing. He purchased the ticket from a store in the Bronx, New York Lottery said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
