A $ 343.9 million Powerball Jackpot after 25 years of using the same numbers

The Saturday of that drawing was rainy, so Bailey said he was going to be a friend. Bailey said he planned to "take care" of that certain friend who gave him a ride.

The odds of winning the powerball jackpot were 1 in 292,201,338 million, according to the Lottery. But what are the odds when a person plays the same number of times over 25 years?

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Aaron Tenenbein, a professor at New York University's Leonard N. Stern School of Business, estimated Bailey's odds would have been 1 out of 115,385. "It does not matter if he's playing the same number, it's still the same luck," Tenenbein said. In other words: "It's pure luck."

Bailey said a few years ago, but would not elaborate. He said he played every New York state lottery game using those numbers – 8, 12, 13, 19, 27 and 40 – ever since. For the Powerball drawing, it is the 40th year an allowable single digit.

For Bailey, lightning struck twice: He once won $ 30,000 on a Take Five ticket.

Bailey did not even watch the live Powerball drawing, he said, but checked the results later after watching college football. He saw the first five numbers match. "When I saw the 4, I was just in shock," he said. He stayed up all night and barely slept that weekend.

It took him so long because he said, because "I had to see a lawyer and a financial adviser."

Cheerful, but not exactly forthcoming, Bailey said he would have avoided the ceremony if he could have, except that New York law does not allow winners to hide their identities. A spokesman with the US Postal Service said that Bailey had been working there since 1968, "but happy," and had children, but would not say how many .

He arrived alone to claim his prize, even if he half-jokingly admitted he might need a bodyguard. Although his life has changed forever, he can not quit one routine.

Bailey arrived in Queens clutching a fresh batch of tickets and numbers. "I had to play this morning before I came here," he said.

"I'm going to ride this out, I can not stop now."