A New York man who dutifully stuck with playing the same Powerball numbers for 25 years now has enough wealth to last for generations.
Robert Bailey, 67, a retired government employee from Manhattan, won the largest jackpot in New York history when he took home $343.8 million in winnings from the Oct. 27 drawing.
"A family member gave me the numbers over 25 years ago and I faithfully play them," he said at a press conference Wednesday at Resorts World Casino New York City.
Bailey took the lump sump payment, which works out to $125.3 million after taxes.
New York isn't one of the six states that allows its lottery winners to remain anonymous. However, Bailey has taken steps in hopes of becoming one of the winners who find happiness and fulfillment instead of turning into another cautionary tale.
"I still want to be me; I can’t let money change me,'' he said at the press conference. "But I want to do the right thing and take care of it for the next generation in my family.
"That’s why I went to a lawyer and a financial adviser first and sat down with them and talked business."
Bailey bought the ticket at a Harlem deli and was shocked when he checked the numbers online. The total prize for the Oct. 27 drawing was $687 million, which he split with Lerynne West, 51, of Redfield, Iowa, who also hit the winning numbers.
Even after winning the big prize, Bailey isn't going to stop playing his favorite Powerball combination.
"Yes, I will continue playing my numbers until this train runs out," he said.