Jackpot hopefuls dream big ahead of drawing
A cellphone shows the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, which are both now over $400 million. Credit: Corey Sipkin
A longing sparkle flashed across Louisa Agate’s face during Tuesday’s evening rush hour as she pondered, and then rattled off, how she’d begin to spend the approximately $410 million Powerball jackpot — were she to be 1 in 292 million.
"I’d pay off all my bills. I’d get out of debt. I would ... make sure my family’s taken care of. And I’d like to take a trip around the world — if it wasn’t COVID," said Agate, a 51-year-old medical laser technician from Valley Stream.
Agate said she plays the lottery "once in a while," perhaps five times a year, scratch-off games, "whatever looks good."
"It is a waste, so that’s why I don’t play it that often," she said, "but I’ll give it a shot for a big payday."
Michael Feeney, 58, of Wantagh, a CUNY contracting officer for construction, said he would buy a farm somewhere in a rural area to expand his family’s rescue and foster efforts for animals.
Louisa Agate of Valley Stream has a few ideas for what she'd do with hundreds of millions of dollars in Powerball winnings. Credit: Corey Sipkin
The next drawing for Powerball is Wednesday. Tickets for a chance to try for the jackpot — cash value, $316.4 million — are $2 per play and sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The last jackpot, which keeps growing until someone wins, was Sept. 16, a prize of $94.8 million.
"That old story of the dog going up to the farm? We want to be that farm," he said.
Then there would be helping other causes, he said.
"With $400 million, I would support all sorts of environmental issues — Long Island clean water," he said as he waited for grilled chicken sandwich to go from Charleys in Penn Station, adding: "I don’t even know how to spend that kind of money."
When he would buy lotto tickets, he’d pick his, his son’s and wife’s birth dates, but his wife, Rosemary, 57, "probably bought a bunch" Tuesday at a shop near Wantagh and Jerusalem avenues.
Natalie Cohen, 61, who grew up in Levittown from ages 7 to 17 and now lives on Manhattan's Lower East Side, chose to play the Mega Millions — which has even tougher odds than Powerball: 1 in 302 million.
"You may be speaking to a winner," she told a reporter, loading a website listing the $447 million jackpot, which was to be drawn Tuesday night.
How would she spend winnings?
She said she wouldn’t buy much.
"I would own nothing," she said. "Just travel," in first class. To the Netherlands. To Italy. And learn how to farm.
"I would just do normal stuff. It’s nice to have the money and not have to worry about eating or a place to stay," she said.
The lottery isn't for everybody, of course.
Chris Carroll, a 28-year-old electrician from Coram, does not play the lottery and does not plan to play Powerball.
"You probably lose money doing it," he said dryly, "so it’s not a good habit to get into."
Whoever wins can choose the proceeds in a lump sum or via an annuity.
Whoever wins cannot choose not to give Uncle Sam his cut, according to the official powerball.com website, which warns: "Both advertised prize options are prior to federal and jurisdictional taxes."
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
Sarra Sounds Off Ep. 35: EI baseball, girls lacrosse and plays of the week On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," we look at East Islip baseball's inspirational comeback story, Jared Valluzzi has the plays of the week and Tess Ferguson breaks down the top defensive players in girls lacrosse.
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