Long Island man wins big on lotto scratch offs twice!

Jim Dolan Image
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Long Island man wins scratch off jackpot twice
Jim Dolan has the story.

LINDENHURST, Long Island (WABC) -- A man on Long Island won the lottery big not once, but twice!

At Mike's Super Citgo, players play, but there's only one big winner.

"His heart is good," the clerk said.

"I play everything. I play the scratch off, I play the lotto, Quick Draw," said Bruce Magistro, lottery winner.

And who can blame him? Mr. Magistro won a million dollars on a $5 scratch off game back in 2011, and who knows how much more on a $2 scratch off this week.

"It can't be 'Life' and I was like, I turned to my fiancée and I said, 'We just won!' and she said 'Yeah right,' and I said, 'No, I just hit 'Life,'" Magistro said.

The first million dollars came at a difficult time for Magistro.

"My wife was quite sick at that time, and ended up passing away from cancer. I used a lot of that money to take care of her and just be home with her and that. It allowed me to be home, it was the best thing ever, no regrets," Magistro said.

This time is so much different.

Mr. Magistro won on the "Win for Life" scratch off game. He could have gotten $1,000 a week for the rest of his life or $1 Million in cash.

"I'm going to take the annual payments. It's under mine and my son's name so my kids will be able to enjoy it after I pass as their inheritance," Magistro said.

So his son will get annual payments of more than $50,000 for the rest of his life, and he's just 17 years old.