A single New York LOTTO ticket sold at a small Hicksville shop matched all six numbers in the Christmas Eve drawing and is now worth $13.9 million.
The winning slip was purchased at Lovely Cards and Gifts, 416 South Oyster Bay Road, and matched the numbers 4, 11, 23, 38, 41 and 49 (bonus number 26). The ticket holder has up to a year to file a claim with the New York Lottery.
A Long Island lucky night — and more winners around the state
The holiday drawing produced other big moments for New Yorkers. The New York Lottery confirmed that the Dec. 24 Powerball drawing produced multiple high-tier winners: two second-place $1 million tickets that matched all five white balls were sold in the state — one at Ultra Gas Station on West Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst and another at Smiley's Stop N Shop in Sidney, Delaware County. Lottery reports this week also identified other recent million-dollar tickets sold in and around New York City and Long Island.
Meanwhile, the Powerball grand prize on the same night went to a player in Arkansas for roughly $1.82 billion — one of the largest jackpots in U.S. history.
What the Hicksville store said — and what we don’t know
Lovely Cards and Gifts confirmed it sold the ticket but, as of Thursday, staff were not available for comment. The winning ticket holder has not come forward publicly, and New York law requires winners of prizes larger than $5,000 to be identified, though bills have been introduced in the Legislature to change that rule.
If you like the idea of what a sudden windfall might buy: there are still strong deals on laptops this season — see current MacBook Air deals — and gamers might be eyeing the latest streaming hardware developments like the PlayStation Portal update. For a quick look at a possible splurge, the MacBook line is available on Amazon if you want to check price: MacBook.
If you think you hold the winning LOTTO ticket
If your ticket looks like a winner, keep it safe and sign the back. For prizes above $600, winners must claim in person at a New York Lottery Customer Service Center or Prize Claim Center (or by mail for smaller claims). You'll need your winning ticket, a completed Winner Claim Form, valid government photo ID and a Social Security Number or FEIN.
Because the prize is large, expect paperwork and, for many winners, tax withholding. The New York Lottery website has official claim forms and step-by-step guidance for large prizes.
Stories like this tend to ripple through a town — a cat-and-mouse of speculation, celebration and paperwork — and Hicksville now has a new holiday story to tell. Whether the winner steps forward quickly or waits to consult financial and legal advisors, one small downtown counter sold a ticket that changed at least one life over the holidays.