MTA worker stationed on Staten Island ‘in shock’ after winning $1M Powerball prize

An MTA worker stationed on Staten Island recently won a $1 million Powerball prize after matching the first five numbers in a Powerball drawing, according to lottery officials.

Stacey Fiore, who lives in Barnegat, New Jersey, said has been playing Powerball and Mega Millions games every week, hoping for a chance to win big. A supervisor for the MTA on Staten Island, she joked to her colleagues that they wouldn’t see her at work if she won Saturday.

Her husband of 32 years, Greg Fiore, also works for the MTA on Staten Island as a bus operator.

Fiore bought a quick pick ticket at a Quick Stop in Barnegat for the drawing on Saturday, Nov. 9 — and soon, her dream of winning big in the lottery came true.

She told lottery officials she usually checks her tickets before she goes to work, but she forgot. She didn’t check until Monday morning.

“I checked the numbers on Monday on the (Lottery’s phone app),” she recalled. “It said ‘Congratulations. You won a million dollars.’”

At first, she said she didn’t believe she won the Powerball second prize and kept checking the numbers. She then called her husband Greg to have him read out the winning numbers to verify she won.

The winning Powerball numbers were: 11, 24, 50, 56, 66, and Powerball 16. Fiore matched the first five numbers to win the second prize worth $1 million.

“I told him he better not be messing with me,” she said. “And did we buy real tickets?”

Fiore added she is “in shock” over the win.

“You wait your whole life for this, and you are still in shock,” she said.

She’s the 39th player in the New Jersey lottery draw game to win at least $1 million this year. Lottery players in New Jersey have the legal right to remain anonymous, but Fiore said she likes telling people about her win.

“I went to the bank and asked to speak to the manager. I said ‘You know somebody won $1 million here in town? Well, that’s me!’ She was super excited. It’s nice to celebrate,” she said.

The Fiores said they don’t have any special plans with the prize just yet — maybe a nice vacation, they told lottery officials. They said their children are happy for them, joking that they know Christmas is approaching.

And while Fiore also joked she wouldn’t return to her job after winning the lottery prize, she indeed returned for her next shift with the MTA.

The winning numbers for the Powerball game are drawn from a field of one to 69. The Powerball number is drawn from a separate field of one to 26. In order to win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls in any order and the red Powerball number.

Powerball tickets can be purchased at any lottery retailer for $2, seven days a week. The deadline for purchasing a ticket is 10 p.m. on draw nights.

Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m., and the lottery urges players to buy tickets early to avoid last-minute lines.

Order your official Powerball tickets online at Jackpot.com and never miss a draw again. Click here to get a free ticket with your first deposit.

If you or a loved one has questions or needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit 1800gambler.net for more information.