Islanders buy $50,000 in Mega Millions tickets
Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky, second from right with Islanders fans from today's game on March 3, 2019. Credit: Jim Baumbach / Newsday
Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot rose past $1.2 billion as the night’s drawing neared. The Islanders were hoping their season ticket holders and staff came up winners.
The Islanders failed to come up with the big one though, as a single ticket purchased in Illinois hit the top prize in Friday night's drawing, according to the Mega Millions website.
The team announced on Friday it had purchased $50,000 in Mega Millions tickets — 25,000 entries — for its full-season ticket holders, suite holders, staff and the Islanders’ Children’s Foundation. The team said prize money would be shared equally above $250,000. Any winnings of $250,000 or less would be donated to the Islanders’ Children’s Foundation.
The $50,000 purchase is to mark the team’s 50th anniversary season.
“As we prepare for our historic 50th anniversary season, we want to show our appreciation for our Islanders’ season ticket members and staff and give them a chance to participate in this massive Mega Millions drawing,” Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said in a statement. “Revenue from lottery tickets is dedicated to education in New York state, so no matter what happens in today’s historic drawing, important funds have been generated for education in the state, which supports our fan base and their families.”
Friday’s drawing was the second largest in Mega Millions’ history.
The Islanders open their six-game preseason schedule on Sept. 26 against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Their regular-season opener is Oct. 13 against the Panthers at UBS Arena.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
