Mainer wins $6 million in Megabucks drawing Man to keep day job mowing lawns, landscaping

TOPSHAM – Larry Paradis may have won nearly $6 million, but that doesn’t mean he’ll quit his day job.

Paradis, who bought the winning ticket in the Tri-State Megabucks drawing from a Cumberland Farms store in Topsham, told reporters Sunday he and his wife plan to buy a car and take their entire family to Disney World.

Afterward, he plans to continue to run his lawn-mowing and landscaping business, though he may buy some new equipment.

Vicki Hibbard, general manager of the Cumberland Farms where the ticket was purchased, said an employee discovered Paradis’ winning ticket when the information came up on the screen on Sunday.

Later that day, a TV news crew was outside getting footage of the store where the ticket was bought when Paradis strolled in at 4 p.m.

“He didn’t say much,” Hibbard said. “I think he was in shock.”

After confirming the numbers, Paradis tried to call his daughter, but there was no answer.

Then he drove home – accompanied by the WPXT-TV news crew – to deliver the news to his wife of 31 years, Joanne.

The TV news footage showed Paradis bounding up the stairs to be met with an embrace from his wife, who was visibly shaken and exclaimed, “I think I’m going to have a heart attack!”

Paradis has purchased lottery tickets at Cumberland Farms regularly for years, making it part of his routine to come in as often as three times a week, according to Hibbard.

The winning numbers were 6-18-26-35-36-41, with bonus number 19.

Some 28,957 other players who matched some of the winning numbers will share $116,984 in cash and free tickets.

Holders of winning tickets can opt to accept the money all at once or get paid over time, in this case, 25 years.

The Cumberland Farms store where the ticket was bought also gets a small portion of the proceeds.