'Still shaking' from $5M lottery win
William and Mary Hansen, of Elmont who won $5,000,000 in the Extravaganza instant game, stand with their family in the King Kullen Supermarket where they purchased the winning ticket. (Feb. 25, 2011) Credit: Howard Schnapp
His lottery itch was scratched.
For decades, 81-year-old William Hansen said, he's spent thousands of dollars playing scratch-offs and old-fashioned number-picking lottery games.
Now his gamble is paying off - Hansen and his wife of 58 years will each get 20 annual payments of $125,000, the state lottery system said Friday, for winning $5 million on the Extravaganza scratch-off game.
"I'm lucky," Hansen said while receiving his oversized ceremonial check - No. 0000 for those keeping track - and congratulations from lottery officials.
The ceremony took place at the King Kullen supermarket in Valley Stream, where he purchased the lucky ticket at a vending machine.
Hansen bought the scratch-off on Feb. 2. He recalled reaching into his left pocket to pull out his lucky quarter he always uses to scratch off tickets.
"My knees were shaking," he said of the moment he realized he'd won the prize - and the supermarket announced his winning over the loudspeaker. "They're still shaking."
Luckily, from the New York State Lottery there was Yolanda Vega, the omnipresent lottery personality, to lend a hand. "Let me hold you there, William!" she said to the retired crane operator. "Let me hold you."
There to celebrate Friday with the Elmont man were members of his family, who include his wife, Mary, six children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
What will the couple do with the money, $77,692 a year each after taxes? Help their family, probably give to charity, too.
Said 79-year-old Mary Hansen, pointing to her husband: "We may end up taking a trip. It's up to the boss here."
The couple can eventually name their family as beneficiaries of the payouts; a lottery spokeswoman said that the game they won doesn't allow for a lump-sum payout.
After the Friday news conference, the Hansens' grandson Chris Hansen, 22, approached the very machine that spit out his grandfather's winner. In went the money, out came an Empire State Millionaire scratch-off.
"I'm just trying to get lucky," he joked, "so I can brag."
He won $5.
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