2010 Starts With A $1,000,000 Cash Blast for Clarence Lottery Winner

SCHENECTADY, NY (01/13/2010)(readMedia)-- Forty-nine-year-old Robert "Bobby" Baker of Clarence is no stranger to winning the Lottery. Baker, who has worked for LP Ciminelli Construction as a laborer for the past 20 years, has won his share of Lottery prizes in the past, but even he admits winning a million feels a little different. "Imagine not having to worry about money," he said.

Baker won his $1,000,000 cash prize on the Lottery's $1,000,000 Cash Blast instant ticket. He purchased the $5 ticket on December 20, 2009 at the Noco Express Shop on Main Street in Clarence. "Oh, I'm a regular there all right," he said. "I buy gas there and play my numbers almost every day. It was just part of my routine."

Baker claimed his winning ticket on December 21, 2009 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Buffalo. Tonawanda native and Lottery Draw Team member, Gretchen Dizer, today presented Baker with his over-sized check at the Clarence Noco store; officially making Baker Western New York's first Lottery millionaire of 2010.

As with most instant games, the top prize on the $1,000,000 Cash Blast ticket is paid out as a 20 year annuity. Baker will receive his prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000 each, before taxes. His annual net check will total $33,015. Baker's plans for the money include helping his daughter finish college and finding a nice new, older model car to refurbish. "The rest will go in the bank," he said, adding, "This is the perfect prize amount for us – just enough to bring us peace."

Baker joins a growing list of 12 recent Western New York Lottery players to win or share a jackpot prize valued at $1,000,000 or more. Other instant game winners to receive an over-sized millionaire check from the Lottery since 2008 include:

• Lorri Staufenberger of West Seneca who won at least $5,000,000 on Set for Life in 2008

• Gail McChesney of Cassadaga who won $3,000,000 on Money, Money, Money in 2008

• Carolyn Blackmon of Cheektowaga who won $1,000,000 on Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas in 2008

• Richard Bui of Lancaster who won $1,000,000 on $500,000,000 Extravaganza in 2008

• Hieu Tran of Buffalo who won $1,000,000 on In The Money in 2008

• Lia Gentile and Franca Cavitt of Buffalo and Pennsylvania respectively, who won $1,000,000 on Money, Money, Money in 2009

• Lareecea Love of Buffalo who won $1,000,000 on Triple Diamonds in 2009

• Brittanie DeClerck of Albion who won $1,000,000 on Emerald 8s in 2009

• Betty Lou Ross of Niagara Falls who won $1,000,000 on The Price is Right in 2009

• Melford Maynard of Buffalo who won $1,000,000 on New York Millionaire ticket in 2009

• Sandra Olson of Falconer who won $1,000,000 on Super 9s in 2009

• Linda Jo Stalker of Cherry Creek who won $1,000,000 on Super 9s in 2009

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning more than $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago. The Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 to help support education in New York State, which was over 12 percent of total state education funding to local school districts. The Lottery's ongoing commitment to education also includes the awarding of more than 1,100 Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Scholarships annually to high school students pursuing their higher education in New York State. Since 1999, the Lottery has awarded more than 11,500 scholarships representing a total commitment of almost $50 million.

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