ALBUQUERQUE – Danny Garcia of Veguita, population 2,300, claimed a $1 million Mega Millions® prize from the New Mexico Lottery today.
Garcia, 52, discovered the $1 million prize this morning after arriving at his job in the parts department at Bob Turner’s Ford Country in Albuquerque. ”
He called the lottery’s telephone hotline, wrote down the winning numbers and compared them to the ticket in his wallet.
Above, Danny Garcia, winner of the $1 million Mega Millions® prize
“I could feel my heart beating,” he said. “I started shaking.”
His co-workers told him to waste no time getting his $1 million prize.
“Everybody was saying, ‘Get out of here,’” Garcia recalled.
Garcia’s quick-pick ticket matched the white ball numbers of 37, 39, 42, 53 and 55 in Tuesday night’s drawing.
Matching five white balls pays $250,000, but Garcia spent an extra $1 on the game’s Megaplier® feature to multiply non-jackpot prizes. Megaplier increased his $250,000 prize to $1 million automatically.
“I always play with Megaplier because, if you only get a few numbers, it will multiply your prize,” he said.
As a newly minted millionaire, Garcia’s plans include helping his three sons, creating trust funds for his grandchildren and making donations to his church.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the good Lord,” he said.
Garcia, who missed the yellow Mega Ball of 22 to land the night’s $14 million jackpot, bought his lucky ticket at Young Baca’s Kicks 66. Located at 1304 S. Main St. in Belen, Young Baca’s Kicks 66 has sold six other large prize-winning lottery tickets paying between $1,000 and $160,000.
Garcia Becomes New Mexico’s Fifth Lottery Millionaire of 2012
Garcia is the winner of New Mexico’s fifth prize of $1 million or more this year.
Veguita Man Claims $1 Million New Mexico Lottery Prize
2-2-2
In January, Larry and Cynthia Martinez of Blanco won a $1 million Powerball® prize.
In March, Patrick and Sharon Yazzie of Chinle, Ariz. won a $1 million Powerball prize.
In April, Robert Platt of Albuquerque won a $1.54 million Hot Lotto® jackpot while James Larson, also of Albuquerque, won a $1 million Powerball prize.
Mega Millions
Mega Millions is played in more than 40 lotteries. The New Mexico Lottery joined the Mega Millions game in January 2010. Since then, New Mexico Lottery players have won 40 prizes of more than $10,000, including one prize of $250,000 and one prize of $1 million.
The game’s record jackpot is $656 million. It was shared by players from Illinois, Maryland and Kansas.
Legislative Lottery Scholarships
All profits from the sale of New Mexico Lottery games fund an in-state college tuition assistance program. Since 1996, the New Mexico Lottery has raised $522.6 million for education and more than 75,300 students have attended college on Legislative Lottery Scholarships. More information about Legislative Lottery Scholarships is available at www.nmlottery.com.
Follow the New Mexico Lottery on Facebook (www.facebook.com/nmlottery) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/user/NewMexicoLottery).