Staten Island woman wins $85M in Mega Millions game
Staten Island woman Jin Ok Choi receives her $85 million check after winning the lottery on August 2, 2012. Credit: Staten Island woman Jin Ok Choi receives her $85 million check after winning the lottery on August 2
Staten Island resident Jin Ok Choi said she rarely plays the lottery, so when she found out her July 3 Mega Millions Quick Pick ticket was the winner, she couldn't do anything but scream.
Choi, 54, was unveiled as the winner of the $85-million prize Thursday, along with other big lottery game winners, during a special presentation with New York State Lottery personalities Yolanda Vega and Ralph Buckley in Manhattan.
Choi, who will net a lump sum of about $40 million after taxes, said she is still in shock and doesn't know what she will do with the cash.
"I'm going to upgrade my life," she said.
Seven other million-dollar lottery winners joined Choi on Thursday. One of them was NYPD officer William Sena, 28, who won the top prize of $1 million on July 1 when he played the New York Poker scratch-off game.
The cop, who patrols Manhattan, will receive an annual net check totaling about $31,000 for the next 19 years.
Sena said he was going to use the winnings to buy a new house and invest in his daughter's college education, and said he won't be retiring from the force anytime soon.
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