This story was written by Plamena Pesheva and posted by Tom Auchterlonie.
Darwin Morales, a 25-year-old Somers resident and Bedford gas station attendant, is now a millionaire who calls New York a "magic place."
The Guatemala native who moved to the area seven years ago to be near family, claimed his $1,000,000 Powerball second prize on May 4. Morales bought his ticket on the day of the drawing at the gas station where he works as an attendant.
He said his sudden change of fortune began with a chance encounter with a coworker.
“I got off work and was talking with another attendant about how big the jackpot was for that night and it reminded me to play,” he said.
The Powerball jackpot for the May 4 drawing was $193 million. Morales said he only plays the Lottery when a jackpot gets over $80 million.
“I got a $20 tip from a customer that day,” he said “I spent $14 of it on my Powerball ticket.”
Morales, who would usually never spend more than $12 on a single ticket, decided to spend more money because of the good tip he had received. He won his $1 million prize on the third of seven sets of Quick Pick numbers printed on his ticket. The winning numbers for the May 4 Powerball drawing were 7 12 26 36 40 and Powerball 17.
The lucky winner said he never bothered to check his winning numbers until he went to work the following week at another gas station owned by his employer.
“I was drinking my coffee when I heard some people talking about a winning Powerball ticket sold at the other station,” Morales said. “I remembered I still had my ticket in my wallet. I checked and sure enough!”
Morales claimed his $1 million winning ticket the same day. The new Lottery millionaire said his luck and his life have changed dramatically in a very short time.
“My town in Guatemala is so small it doesn’t even have a name,” he said. “There are 17 houses in my town, that’s it,” he laughed, adding, “I moved here because my family is here. New York is a magic place for a lot of people.”
Morales will receive his $1 million prize in a single net payment totaling $611,800. He purchased his winning ticket at Bedford Shell at 848 South Bedford St. in Bedford.
The New York Lottery contributed $70,858,076.81 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Westchester County during fiscal year 2012-13.
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