Family Win Marks Only The Third Time in The Game’s 29-year History That a Winner has Become a Lotto Jackpot Winner Twice

Schenectady, NY - The Angelo family is in the money…again. The family, made up of Eugene, Sr. (81) and his wife Adeline (74) and the couple’s three sons, Eugene, Jr. (48), Steven (47) and Michael (42), is no stranger to money having won a $2,500,000 share of a $10,000,000 Lotto jackpot in December of 1996 as well.

The win marks only the third time in the 29-year history of the New York Lottery’s Lotto game that a player has become a jackpot winner twice. With a Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, August 31st at $325,000,000, the second largest in the game’s history, this week now marks two historical milestones in New York Lottery history.

Originally from the Bronx, the Angelo’s, who resettled in Mahopac and nearby Brookfield, CT., recalled memories of their first win as they claimed their latest Lottery prize – a $5,000,000 Lotto jackpot from the drawing held on August 18, 2007.

“We’re all a little older and a little wiser and there are a few more of us when you count the grandchildren,” said Eugene Angelo, Sr. who purchased both jackpot winning tickets, “But we’re still the same people, still very excited. It’s a good feeling.”

“At 22.5 million to 1, the odds may appear daunting at first,” said Acting New York Lottery Director Gardner Gurney. “But, the Angelo’s are living proof that lightning, or in this case, random luck, can strike twice.

The odds of anyone matching all six Lotto numbers from a field of 59 are 1:22,528,737 on a minimum $1 play. Lotto players receive two games for every $1 played. Overall, the odds of winning a Lotto prize are 1:46.02.

The Angelo family claimed its most recent jackpot prize as a group. They will split the prize five ways with each family member receiving an estimated $513,142 before required tax withholdings. The Angelo’s and their sons have different plans for their take of the pot. Angelo Sr., a retired construction worker, and his wife, a retired medical secretary, plan to continue buying Lotto and Mega Millions tickets every Saturday “just for the fun of it.” Sons Eugene, Steven and Michael said they plan to use their share to finance a variety of home renovations and new home purchases to accommodate their growing families. Steven and Michael also plan to invest wisely in preparation for “multiple college tuitions.”

The only other two-time New York Lotto jackpot winners since the game began in 1978 include Bernard Bobowicz of Clifton, New Jersey, who won a $3,500,000 Lotto jackpot on November 2, 1985 and another $7,000,000 Lotto jackpot on September 22, 1993. Additionally, John Martin of Bronx, NY won $666,670 on April 30, 1986, sharing a portion of a $2,000,000 jackpot with two other winners. He then won $800,000 on February 3, 1990, his share of a $4,000,000 jackpot.

Now in its 40th year in operation, the New York Lottery has generated more than $31 billion to help support education in New York State, including a record $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2006-2007 on incoming revenue of $7.18 billion. For more information, contact the New York Lottery Communications office at 518-388-3415 or email here.