Salem Makes Bid For $1 Million Lottery Capital Of MA

SALEM, MA — Feeling lucky? It may be worth a drive to the Witch City to test your fortunes if you are an instant lottery player.

A Salem man recently claimed the fourth $1 million Massachusetts State Lottery prize sold in the Witch City in the past two months.

Michael Pereira of Salem won a $1 million prize in the Massachusetts State Lottery's "$4,000,000 Mayhem" instant ticket game. Pereira opted to take the one-time payment of $650,000 (before taxes).

He told lottery officials he planned to use some of his winnings to buy a new car to replace the one that recently stopped working.

Pereira bought his winning ticket at Salem 7 Food Store, 126 North St. in Salem. The store receives a $10,000 bonus for the sale of this ticket.

In July, Francisca Uceta De Placencio won the prize in the $10 instant "$4,000,000 Monopoly Doubler" game. She purchased her winning ticket at Armas Convenience Store, 247 Jefferson Avenue in Salem.

A Salem woman and Peabody man also both claimed prizes from tickets bought in Salem in the last two months with each taking the one-time payment valued at about $650,000 before taxes.

One of those tickets was bought at Nicole's Food Store on Essex Street with the other bought at RX3 Energy located on Bridge Street in Salem.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)