A man has won $10 million from a scratch-off game, and it’s his second time in three years.
Juan Hernandez of Uniondale in Nassau County won New York Lottery’s $10 million Deluxe scratch-off game this month. Hernandez, a Long Island resident, has claimed the top prize according to an announcement from the New York Lottery.
NY Lottery reported that Hernandez had previously won a $10 million prize in 2019 from the lottery’s $350,000,000 Cash Spectacular scratch-off ticket.
At the time, he said: “The first thing I will do is pay off the mortgage on my house”.
He has been dubbed as the world’s luckiest person after landing a second lottery prize in less than three years. He joked that he was still trying to spend the jackpot he won in 2019 after being handed another eye-watering cheque.
He said: “I’m still trying to spend the $10million I won in 2019!”
According to the New York Lottery, the odds of winning the top prize on the Deluxe game is 1 in 3,521,600. They said they had no idea what the chances were of the same person getting lucky twice.
Hernandez said he bought his most recent winning ticket at Stop & Shop in Hempstead in Long Island and decided to take the lump sum of his recent winnings, resulting in him winning a total of $6.5 million “after required withholdings.”
New York Lottery’s website lists three grand prize winners of $10 million given out, and one ticket has yet to be cashed out. The former trucker, who retired after scooping his first prize, says he will be donating a chunk of his winning this time around.
After the $10 million was announced, posts from truck drivers appeared on Hernandez’ Facebook page, thanking him for donating to those struggling with debt during the pandemic.
Wesley Hunter, a truck driver from Texas, wrote on Hernandez’ Facebook page: “Since your monetary donation I have been able to get a new truck and get back to work after months of struggling. People like you are an inspiration to all.”
Hernandez told MailOnline that he planned to continue with his donations saying: “I will be donating my win this time.”
As rare it seems to win the lottery twice, it has happened before. In October 2021, a retired utility worker from Maryland won a $2 million lottery prize for the second time. According to the Maryland Lottery, he planned to use his latest $2 million prizes to pay for home improvements and a family vacation.
Michelle Shuffler from North Carolina and Veronica Buchanan from Missouri both won the lottery twice in the same day, just with different amounts of money.
The New York Lottery said it continues to be the largest and most profitable of lotteries in North America.