Million-dollar winners sold in Lindenhurst

With the Mega Millions jackpot up to a world record-breaking $540 million, perhaps it's a good bet to buy a ticket or two on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst.

Eight retailers sell lottery tickets on that stretch of road in the South Shore village, and three of them have sold winning tickets of $1 million or more in the past 10 months, according to New York Lottery records. The three stores are within a mile of each other.

One jackpot was huge: Maulik & Chandni stationery store sold the winning ticket to the Melville Costco crew that won a $201.9-million Powerball jackpot in June. And on Tuesday a second-place Mega Millions ticket worth $250,000 was purchased there, lottery officials said.

"I think there are stores that are lucky," said Suzanne Ellis, of Holtsville, whose daughter urged her to buy her Mega Millions ticket at Maulik & Chandni Wednesday because of the store's winning record.

Indeed the crowds have grown at the store since the 20 workers at the Melville Costco won Powerball, store owner Mike Patel said. This week business has really picked up, Patel said, adding part of the reason is his store's reputation but most of the reason is the growing Mega Millions jackpot.

After no one won the $363-million jackpot Tuesday, the number for Friday's 11 p.m. drawing leaped to a half-billion dollars and then to $540 million. That is the largest jackpot in world history, according to Mega Millions.

The odds of winning? About one in 176 million, lottery officials said.

Neil Miranda said Mega-dreamers should consider buying their tickets at Patel's place, given the store's run of luck.

"Mike will definitely hit again," said Miranda, a customer who lives nearby.

Or maybe lottery dreamers would be wise to simply go down the block.

On Nov. 2, another retailer on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst, Anjli & Sarika stationery store, sold a $1 million winning ticket in the Sweet Million jackpot game.

And last month, David D'Amore, 66, and his girlfriend, Diane Pasquale, both of Lindenhurst, purchased a $1 million scratch-off ticket at the Linden Quick Stop, located between Anjli & Sarika and Maulik & Chandni.

"You never believe you're going to win this big," said the longtime lottery player, who's already bought a new Camaro and is planning a trip to Hawaii to visit Pearl Harbor.

As for the notion that where lottery players buy their tickets actually matters, salesman Paul Sebesta wasn't sold.

"It's timing," Sebesta said as he nonetheless made his Mega purchase Wednesday at Maulik & Chandni. "I don't think it matters where you buy it; it's when you buy it."

With Igor Kossov,Gary Dymski, Lauren Greco and John Valenti