Courtesy photo / Mike and Shelly Luciano of Altoona hold a $3 million check from the Pennsylvania Lottery after Mike won the Million Spectacular instant game on Thanksgiving Day. Mike Luciano told lottery officials that he wanted to offer special thanks to family, friends and patrons of his restaurant.

Christmas came on Thanksgiving Day for an Altoona businessman.

Mike Luciano, owner of Mike’s Court, won $3 million in the Pennsylvania Lottery.

On Thanksgiving morning, Luciano stopped at Nic’s Grab ‘n Go, 1010 Sixth Ave., to cash in some winning tickets, which added up to exactly $30. So, he decided to play the $3 Million Spectacular instant game.

“I rarely buy a $30 game, but that’s how much cash I had on me, so I decided to get it,” Luciano said in an interview with lottery officials.

While he scratched the ticket, he joked with the clerk about his chances of winning.

“It was funny. … I looked up and said, ‘I am a firm believer that you can’t win on holidays,'” he said with a laugh. “I scratched the entire ticket pretty fast and didn’t notice right away that I had a number match, so I just took the ticket right to the scanner.”

He was dumbfounded when the scanner read: “Congratulations, $3 million winner!”

“I went a little bit crazy in the store and was just jumping up and down, I was so excited,” Luciano said.

He took the ticket home to share the good news with his wife, Shelly. She was skeptical, at first.

“He walked in and set the ticket down on the table in front of me, and said, ‘I think we’re wealthy,'” she told lottery officials.

Mike Luciano told lottery officials that he wanted to offer special thanks to family, friends and patrons of his restaurant.

With his winnings, he said he plans to pay off bills, help his kids with school and help out his parents.

Although Luciano agreed to an interview with lottery officials, he declined to be interviewed by the Mirror.

“It is a life changing experience to win a prize of this size. Some seek publicity and others like to keep quiet,” said Gary Miller, lottery spokesman. “Some share their stories. This shows that real ordinary people play and win all the time.”

Miller said it will be a few weeks before Luciano gets his winnings — which will be $2,157,000 after federal and state taxes.

For selling the winning ticket, Nic’s will get $10,000, Nic’s President Terry Dandrea said.

“He is a very good customer. If anybody deserved to win it, he does. You couldn’t find a nicer guy. We are happy for him,” Dandrea said.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.