Johnnie Taylor, 71, of Howard Beach, won the record-setting $476 million Mega Millions jackpot on April 14, 2023, according to the New York Lottery.
This is the largest Mega Millions prize won in the state since the game launched in 2002. The winning Mega Millions numbers for the drawing were 23-27-41-48-51, with Mega Ball 22.
Taylor chose to take the cash value of the annuitized prize, totaling $157,288.402 after state and federal withholding.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Taylor said.
Taylor told his wife by saying he knew who had won the jackpot and then revealed it was him. She was skeptical, so he went online to prove that the numbers on his ticket matched.
Taylor recently retired from his job as a building handyman in Manhattan and already has plans for his winnings. Taylor said he wants to travel, buy a new home, and replace his 2012 Prius with a newer model hybrid car. He also wants to donate to his local church.
Taylor typically buys his tickets at Liberty Beer and Convenience, located at 93-18 Liberty Ave., a convenience store near his local subway station. He regularly plays Mega Millions and Powerball quick-pick tickets and adds the multiplier when the jackpot rises to $100 million.
Liberty Beer and Convenience will receive $10,000 from the New York Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
Sanny and Amit Patel, co-owners of Liberty Beer and Convenience, will receive a portion of the $10,000 from the New York Lottery for selling the winning ticket. The brothers have only owned the store for only five days.
“We sold the winner, the big, big winner,” said co-owner Sanny Patel. “We have a lucky store. People come in every day to buy tickets.”
New York State Gaming Commission Chairman Brian O’Dwyer offered his congratulations to the winner.
“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,” O’Dwyer said.
Ticket sales leading up to the $476 million jackpot benefited New York state education, retailers and players. According to the New York Lottery, the jackpot rolled 21 times ahead of the April 14 drawing generating more than $21 million for education, $45.26 million in commissions for retailers, and $10.4 million in non-jackpot winnings for players.
The previous New York state record Mega Millions win was a $437 million jackpot sold in Huntington in 2019.
The New York Lottery is the most profitable in North America, contributing $3.6 billion in the fiscal year 2021-2022 to help support education.
Additional reporting by John Schilling.
