This MA City Had Two Separate $1 Million+ Wins One Day Apart

NEW BEDFORD, MA — In the same city one day apart, two people won seven-figure prizes on scratch tickets this week, according to the lottery commission.

The first and larger of the two wins came on Tuesday, when New Bedford resident Robert J. Ostrye Jr. won $4 million off a scratcher he bought at Jay’s Wine & Spirits. The next day, Donna Balut won a $1 million prize off a scratch ticket she bought at Belleville Discount Gas in New Bedford.

Both Ostrye and Balut opted for the lump sum prizes, which will equal $2.6 million and $650,000, respectively. Ostrye won on a “$4,000,000 Monopoly Doubler” $10 ticket. Balut won on a “$2,000,000 50X Cashword” $10 game.

Balut plans to use her winnings to improve her home. Ostyre will also do some home renovations, but also plans to help people he knows with the winnings.

For selling the winning tickets, Belleville Discount Gas will get a $10,000 award, and Jay’s Wine & Spirits will get $40,000.

Amazingly, these are the only big wins in New Bedford this summer. In July, a "Billion Dollar Extravaganza" ticket sold at a New Bedford Sam's Food Store paid out a $1 million prize.