#megamillions Winner of $32 Million Jackpot Claims Prize

August 22nd, 2011

BRAINTREE, MA (August 23, 2011) "“ A 47-year-old Dorchester man today stepped forward to claim the $32 million jackpot that he won in Friday night's multi-state Mega Millions game.

Candido Oliveira, who arrived at the Lottery's Braintree headquarters with his girlfriend Edite, selected the cash option on the jackpot prize and received a one-time, lump sum payment of approximately $22.2 million, or $15.5 million after taxes.

When asked by local media if he was surprised to learn that he won millions of dollars, the soft-spoken Oliveira simply replied, "no."  He earlier told Lottery officials that he didn't even have to look at the ticket because he knew in his heart that he was the winner as soon as the store was announced on the news.

He purchased just one quic pic ticket at the Tedeschi Foods located at 320 Neponset Avenue in Dorchester. Oliveira said he often plays the lottery at this neighborhood store, but rarely plays more than $1.00 at a time. When asked if he planned to continue to play now that he's won such a tremendous prize, Oliveira again replied, "no", but then chimed in with a smile "“ "I wouldn't want to be greedy!"

Oliveira, who has been unemployed since being laid off from his job as a record keeper nearly two years ago, plans to end his job search after hitting the jackpot. He also plans to use the winnings to buy a house, as well as visit and help his family in his native Cape Verde.

Hani El-Shurafa, the owner of the Dorchester Tedeschi's Food where Oliveira purchased the ticket, will also benefit from his customer's win with a $50,000 commission check.

The last time a Massachusetts player won a Mega Million jackpot was on July 2, 2004 when Geraldine Williams, a retired janitor from Lowell, won the then-record $294 million top prize. But, Massachusetts residents have been lucky this summer playing the Lottery's multi-state jackpot games. On June 8th, Jimmy Freeman, a retired Navy civilian worker from Fall River, took home a $25.6 million Powerball jackpot.

Mega Millions is played in 41 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is drawn every Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m. in Atlanta, Georgia. For more information on Mega Millions or any of the Massachusetts Lottery's games, visit: www.masslottery.com.

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