Beiruting News

A retired New York school principal and his wife have claimed the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in that state.

Harold and Carol Diamond of Wurtsboro, Sullivan County chose the lump sum of $197,456,807 from the $326 million prize. Their after-taxes payout is $130,676,438, lottery officials announced on Monday.

The Diamonds were en route to Middletown, N.Y. for dinner on Election Day when bad weather hit. Carol insisted they stop and it turned out to be a very wise move.

The couple ate sandwiches at Subway and then bought $10 worth of Quick Picks at the adjacent Valero gas station on Route 302.

One turned out to match all the winning numbers.

They didn't found out until the next day when Richard, 80, went golfing with some buddies. After playing nine holes they hit a snack counter at the course, where a worker mentioned the grand prize ticket was bought at Valero gas station.

Diamond said he later learned he was the winner when he went home and checked his tickets as the numbers were shown on the evening news.

"I was in a dither; a real daze" he told lottery officials.

Harold Diamond worked in the Monticello school district for 39 years, retiring as an elementary school principal in 2005. Carol, 74, spend 36 years teaching math in Goshen, retiring a year before her husband. "I simply can't envision that kind of money. It's very hard to fathom. We feel very blessed."

The winning numbers in that evening's drawing were 9, 15, 24, 39 and 41. The Mega Ball was 1.