Greenfield makes millionaires, at least sometimes.
A pair of winning $1 million lottery tickets were recently purchased in town, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Greenfield resident Michael Bompastore won a $1 million prize in late February while playing the Massachusetts State Lottery’s $30 “Supreme Millions” instant game. He bought his lottery ticket at The Wine Rack on Main Street. He cashed out a one-time payment of $650,000, before tax withholdings.
“Obviously, he was pretty happy about it,” said Melissa Winters, owner of The Wine Rack. “I’ve owned the store for 10 years and we have never had anything even close to this big of a winner.” Over the years, she said, the store has sold a few tickets that won their buyers $10,000 to $15,000.
Winters said her store doesn’t sell many lottery tickets and that the winning $1 million ticket was most likely sitting in the store for a month before it was purchased by the long-time customer. “It’s always exciting when somebody wins a lot of money,” she said.
The stores where these lucky tickets were purchased will each receive a $10,000 bonus. Winters said she is using the money just to pay bills.
At the Circle K on the Mohawk Trail in Greenfield, where another winning $1 million ticket was recently sold, store manager David Seredejko said he is not sure how the money will be spent.
The last time the Circle K on the Mohawk Trail in Greenfield sold a million-dollar ticket was about eight years ago, said Seredejko, who has worked at the store for about 10 years. He declined to disclose how many lottery tickets are sold in an average week at the store.
Leyden resident Nellie Williams bought the winning lottery ticket from the Circle K. She will receive a prize in annual payments of $50,000 over 20 years, before tax withholdings. She has no plans yet for her winnings, according to a statement issued by the Massachusetts State Lottery.
Greenfield businesses weren’t the only places in the area where winning tickets were sold.
Elizabeth Baker, a former Leyden resident, scratched a Supreme Millions instant game ticket she purchased at the Northfield Food Mart on Main Street in Northfield.
After winning a $1 million prize, she cashed out a one-time payment of $650,000. Baker, now living in Winchester, N.H., plans to put her winnings into a trust, according to lottery officials.
You can reach Lisa Spear at:
lspear@recorder.com