Retired principal wins Mega Millions jackpot

MIDDLETOWN — A retired elementary school principal has some bad weather to thank for winning a $326 million jackpot.

Harold Diamond, 80, from Sullivan County was driving to Middletown with his wife on Election Day when the weather took a turn. “My wife insisted we stop here to eat and wait for the weather to clear,” he says, “and I reluctantly agreed.”

That decision paid off after Dianond noticed the Mega Millions jackpot flashing and decided to buy 10 sets of quick pick numbers for that night’s drawing. But he forgot about the tickets until the next day when he went to play a round of golf and overheard people in the clubhouse talking about a jackpot-winning ticket bought in the very same store.

Diamond rushed home to find out he was the sole winner of the largest jackpot ever claimed in New York. He has opted to take a single lump sum payment of $197,456,087, which will work out to more than $130 million after withholdings. He plans to help family and give back to the local community with the winnings.

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