Massachusetts man gives retirement notice, three days later hits $1 million State Lottery prize

Three days after informing his employer that he was going to retire, a Massachusetts man scratched off a $1 million prize in the Massachusetts State Lottery’s “$5,000,000 100X Cashword” instant ticket game.

On Monday, July 17, Paul Bashaw of West Boylston notified his employer of over 20 years that he would be retiring at the end of the following week. On Thursday, July 20, he purchased his winning ticket. After finishing out his two weeks without telling anyone at work about his incredibly good fortune, he claimed his prize Friday, July 28 at Mass Lottery headquarters in Dorchester.

“I told my wife there were three things in life I never thought I’d see happen: the Patriots winning the Super Bowl, getting a hole in one – that happened five years ago – and hitting the Lottery, and now I’ve hit all three,” said Bashaw.

Bashaw, a happily retired truck driver who will turn 66 later this year, chose the cash option on his prize and received a one-time payment of $650,000 (before taxes). He plans to use some of his winnings to travel.

He purchased his winning ticket at J & J Variety, 360 West Boylston St. in West Boylston. The store receives a $10,000 bonus for its sale of this ticket.