NY Woman Wins $1 Million Lottery After Atheist Son Issues Demand to God

NY Post:

Not only does Jesus save -- he pays!

A Long Island man proved that although money doesn't grow on trees, it may sprout up in hymnals after he prayed for his mom to hit a jackpot the day before she won $1 million in the lottery.

And the divine intervention doesn't stop there -- the newly minted millionaire, a staunch Catholic, says the winnings have brought her heathen son back into the religious fold.

"God performed two miracles, a true miracle!" a tearful Gloria Bentivegna declared yesterday, clutching her $1 million check from the New York Lottery.

Watch an interview with Gloria and Sal here.

WNBC-TV:

Sal Bentivegna, 26, never saw eye to eye with his mom's beliefs, describing himself as somewhere between an agnostic and an atheist.

"She's always wanted me to feel what she feels and the belief she has in God; but I need physical proof in my life," said Sal, a car audio installation technician from Smithtown.

NY Post:

"God, I don't know if you're real or not, but if you are there, please let my mother win a million dollars," he cynically implored in the casino.

"It was off the cuff at the slot machines," Sal said. "If Jesus wants me to believe in him, that's what he'll do."