Stanley Muraski has been playing one specific game for years; his game is the Set For Life scratch-off game. His liking this game has a reason, a very practical one in fact. “I always seem to win on that ticket,” said the 80- year-old retiree from Waterford. And if you keep on winning at a game, it might be a good idea to simply keep on playing it.

He would always win something out of this game whether it was winning him back what he had invested or sometimes a bit more. On early July, Muraski had also won something out of playing his favorite scratcher ticket and later it gave him the opportunity to win the grand prize. Lottery checker

“I won $10 on a Set For Life ticket earlier that morning. I went in to cash it and decided to buy another one with the winnings. I guess I made the right decision,” he explained.

And the right decision landed him a prize of $5,000,000. Muraski purchased his ticket on July 2 at the Stewart’s Shops on Hudson River Road in Waterford. He did not wait to claim his amazing $5,000,000 prize; it took him just a couple of hours to get to the Lottery’s Customer Service Center in Schenectady.

The top prize on the Set For Life ticket guarantees a minimum payout of $5,000,000 to be paid over 20 years. Muraski will receive his $5,000,000 in 19 annual payments of $260,000 (net $172,068) and one additional payment of $60,000 (net $39,708). After that, he will continue to receive an annual net payment of $172,068 for the rest of his life.

“I never really thought I would actually hit the big one, so this is very exciting,” admitted Muraski. “My plans for the money are pretty standard. Pay off some bills and help friends and family. But, there is one thing I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to travel to Rome, Italy, and wake up in the morning and hear the church bells. I think that dream will finally come true.”