Two Massachusetts lottery players separately hit the top prize of $4 million on two different scratch-off lottery games within a fortnight of each other.
First, on March 29, a $4 million winning scratch-off was purchased at Star Country Store and Deli in Westport, Massachusetts, 60 miles south of Revere.
The windfall came courtesy of the Bonus Bucks game. The winning ticket was bought for the player by their father.
Then, on April 13, another player won the jackpot on a $4,000,000 Mayhem ticket bought at Elias Food Market in Revere, Massachusetts. The price of the ticket was $10.
Both games are provided by the Massachussetts State Lottery. The odds of clinching the top prize in either game were the same – a remarkable 1 in 5,376,000.
Vacation Imminent
The second winning ticket was purchased in Revere, (population 58,000). The Bay State community is around ten miles away from Wynn Resorts’ giant Massachusetts casino, Encore Boston Harbor.
The winner was Alejandra Maria Arroyave Hurtado, a local to the area. The Massachusetts Lottery said that Hurtado chose the lump sum of $2.6 million. That’s instead of taking $4 million (minus taxes) in $200,000 payments over 20 years.
29% of any Lottery prize over $5,000 in Massachusetts is split between the State’s Department of Revenue and the Federal IRS. Hurtado said she planned to take her family on a luxury vacation in the immediate future.
Praise Father
The first winner also chose not to remain anonymous, and shared his interesting story with the Massachusetts State Lottery online.
Steven Richard, of Barrington, Rhode Island, was in Massachussetts visiting his father on March 29. As per family tradition on such occasions, the elder Richard bought a $10 scratch-off for his son.
Little did either of them anticipate the magnitude of this particular gift. Being used to not winning the jackpot on scratch-offs given to him by his father, it wasn’t until later in the day that Richard scratched the ticket, revealing the life-changing sum.
Struggling to grasp the enormity of his luck, he turned to the Massachusetts Lottery app for confirmation.
Eager to share the news, Richard promptly called his wife and then his father, spreading the joy of their unexpected windfall. Opting for the lump-sum payment option over the extended annuity, Richard swiftly received $2.6 million before taxes.
The IRS considers net lottery winnings as ordinary taxable income, meaning Richard will be liable to pay federal and Massachusetts income tax.
In this case, Richard is from Rhode Island, meaning a further 4.99% tax on the win.
In recognition of their role in this stroke of luck, the attendants who gave out the winning tickets at each store will receive a $40,000 bonus from the Lottery.
As for Richard’s plans for the newfound wealth, he envisions embarking on a world traveling adventure with his wife.
David is an online casino expert who specializes in online slots and boasts over 10 years experience writing about iGaming. He has written for a wide range of notable publications, including eSports Insider and WordPlay Magazine.
David graduated Derby University with a BA Degree in English Literature and Creative Writing.
