Mystery buyer buys $16.3M lotto ticket in NYC as others can only dream: ‘Hopefully they spend it wisely’

Their eyes are on the prize!

A lucky person bought a winning $16.3 million lotto ticket at a shop in Manhattan — and money-hungry New Yorkers had plenty of advice Thursday about how to spend that kind of dough.

The golden ticket was sold to a mystery customer Wednesday at the Westside Market Place on 11th Avenue and West 55th Street in Manhattan — where the store’s manager warned against blowing the big bucks.

“Hopefully they spend it wisely,” manager Nick Skulstad said. “I heard that 75 % [of people] who won the jackpot, they go broke within like five years.”

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He called it “amazing” that his store sold the winning ticket, considering customers only buy about $20 worth of lottery tickets daily.

“I mean what are the odds, one in 100 million?”  said Skulstad. “I’d never think.”

If he won the jackpot, he’d be smart with the money, he said.

“I would try to make it last as long as I can. Probably invest, probably charity. Simple,” he said.

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Customers at the deli had other ideas about how to put the cash to good use — ranging from European vacations to country homes.

“Sixteen-million dollars — holy s–t. That’s some lucky person,” said Donna Cerutti, an entrepreneur from Manhattan.

“I would create a few animal charities, dogs, cats — help the pets. I love animals, why not?” she said.

Customer Dolores Brown, 79, said she’d use the cash to see the world.

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“Travel in Europe, some place,” she said.  “I have a lot of family, I would split the money between me and my family.”

Lauren Caniglia, a 40-year-old sonographer from Jersey City, said she’d promptly move out of the Big Apple.

“I would want to move out of the city, buy a piece of property, rescue some dogs and continue to work hard,” she said.  “Use it for good, and not blow it.”

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Mackey said she’d buy a plot of land to help homeless folks.

“My thing is to give back,” said Mackey. “I would definitely buy some property, and build up the property to get the people out of the shelter system to better New York City.”

Wednesday’s jackpot-winning numbers were 9, 17, 18, 29, 32 and 40 with a bonus number of 48. The winner now has a year to claim the massive prize.

New York lotto drawings are held every Wednesday and Saturday.

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