By: Anthony Rifilato and Jonann Brady
It was a very happy New Year for a Baldwin woman who is $175,000 richer after drawing a lucky Quick Pick ticket from a Baldwin gas station.
Forty-eight-year-old Carmen Simpson, a Baldwin resident and a New York City teacher, was one of four second-place winners in the Dec. 30 Mega Millions drawing. She received a check for $175,000 for matching the first five numbers: 12, 18, 21, 32 and 46. "I was watching the drawing on television and realized I had just won," said Simpson, who added that she plans to invest her winnings wisely.
Other second-prize tickets were sold in Niagra Falls, Rockaway Park and Riverhead. The first-place ticket, worth $155 million, was sold in Ohio.
Simpson purchased her winning ticket at the Gas Sale Mini Mart at 820 Sunrise Highway. "We were suprised," said store manager Syed Sadiq.
Sadiq said he hopes Simpson's win will entice more people to play the lottery at his store in the hope of sharing some of her good luck. "Those who have had winners say it's good for business," said Sadiq. "But time will tell."
