Harlem record Powerball jackpot winner revealed
A retired federal government worker from Harlem has hit Powerball gold — and plans to use his winnings to finally visit Las Vegas to gamble some more.
Robert Bailey, 67, bought one of two winning ducats for the $688 million jackpot from the West Harlem Deli on Fifth Ave. at 126th St.
He ran into the deli to get out of the rain — and landed a windfall of green.
“I was taking care of a friend,” he told reporters at Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, Queens, Wednesday. “I jumped out of the car because it was raining, ran in there, played my numbers and ran out.”
Bailey, who also bought a few scratch-off tickets during that visit, has played the same numbers for years.
“A family member gave me the numbers over 25 years ago and I faithfully play them,” he said.
His score comes out to $125.3 million after taxes. The bonanza marks the fourth-largest payoff in U.S. history and the top win ever in New York State.
He initially couldn’t believe he won the jackpot.
“I was watching regular college football,” he recalled. “Around 11:30 at night I checked my numbers online. When I saw the 8 and the 12, I was shocked. I didn’t notice the Powerball right away.
“Sure enough, I was blessed. I was just in shock,” he added.
The winning numbers from the Oct. 27 drawing were 8, 12, 13, 19 and 27, and Powerball 4.
“I stayed up all night and waited to see how many people were going to win,” he said. “I noticed I was one of two winners, the other was in Iowa.”
The Iowa winner bought the other lucky ticket at Casey’s convenience store in Redfield.
Bailey waited several days to claim the prize so he could “see a lawyer and a financial adviser to get some advice.”
The money will be used to pay for a trip to Las Vegas, where he’s always wanted to visit.
“I might go to the Bahamas since it’s almost winter here,” he added. “I might go to the islands.”
He also plans to buy his mother a house.
“God bless, she’s still around,” he said, noting the house would be somewhere in New York State or down south. “I haven’t decided yet. Hopefully I make good investments that will work for me and my family.”
Bailey, who is single, also plans to help out his children.
“I want to do the right thing and take care of the next generation in my family,” he said.
It’s not Bailey’s first win — he pocketed $30,000 playing the same lucky numbers on a Take 5 ticket.
Bailey isn’t the only person benefiting from the financial windfall.
New York Lottery Director Gweneth Dean said that increased interest in the lottery as the jackpot shot up from Aug. 12 until Oct. 27 generated millions in added funds for education aid.
All told, more than $39 million from the lottery sales will go towards funding education programs throughout the state from sales over that period. Additionally, lottery retailers earned $6.6 million in commissions.
Bailey wasn’t the only winner in New York.
There were 26 people who won $150,000 or more for the drawing, lottery officials said.
“I should note that this is a good thing across the board,” Dean said in a statement.
The major jackpot comes nearly three weeks after someone won a $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot in South Carolina.
That person has still not claimed the huge payout and has until April 21 to come forward.
The person’s identity may forever remain a mystery. South Carolina law allows lottery winners to stay anonymous.
In New York, winners must show up for a celebratory press conference hosted by Yolanda Vega of the lottery unless there’s a specific threat to their lives that can be proven in court.
Bailey said he wished he could remain anonymous.
“You have to watch out for your safety, that’s the main thing,” he said. “With any type of money, and this type of money also.”
Powerball is played in 44 states, plus Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
