You Can’t Narrowly Escape Blowing The Food Money On The Lottery If You Don’t Play

An example to remember when you’re blowing the grocery money on scratch tickets:

You could call him irresponsible, but luck was on the side of a 43-year-old Bronx man who spent his fiancée’s grocery money on a winning $1 million lottery ticket this month.

Anthony Knowles and Regina Smith received a fat check at New York Lottery headquarters in lower Manhattan yesterday.

Two other winners claimed checks for $2 million apiece — not even close to the $105 million Mega Millions jackpot won by a Queens grocery worker last month, but still life-changing to the winners and their families.

“I was supposed to buy food, but I bought this ticket instead,” admitted Knowles, who spent the $15 Smith gave him on scratch cards. The winning “Million Dollar Player’s Club” ticket cost $5.

“It was the first time I bought this one,” he said. “I was praying so hard for God to let me win. I prayed the night before, and the morning before I bought the ticket. When I saw the word ‘jackpot,’ I couldn’t believe it.”

Smith never had the chance to be angry over her fiancé’s hasty long-shot bet, since Knowles transferred the prize to her.

“She’s the one who bought the ticket for me,” he said. “It’s only fair that she should collect the prize. Ever since she’s been in my life, I’ve had a lot of luck.”