Capital Region's Newest Millionaires Awarded $2M in Lottery Jackpots at Saratoga Casino and Raceway

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (11/10/2011)(readMedia)-- Two Capital Region residents received $2,000,000 in New York Lottery jackpot prizes today at Saratoga Casino and Raceway. The Lottery's Yolanda Vega was on hand to present the Cohoes and Glens Falls winners with their $500,000,000 Extravaganza and $1,000,000 Sweet Million prizes.

"I rarely play the Lottery, but I had a $50 scratch-off prize to cash in and the $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket caught my eye," said retired physician's assistant Timothy Donnelly, 64, of Cohoes. That spur-of-the-moment decision resulted in a $1,000,000 jackpot prize for Donnelly, who purchased his winning ticket at the Hannaford in Latham.

Donnelly claimed his $1,000,000 scratch-off jackpot at the Schenectady Customer Service Center on October 14.

Like most Lottery scratch-off games, the $1,000,000 prize on the $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket is paid as an annuity. Donnelly will receive his prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000. He will receive an annual net check totaling $33,015 through 2030.

He is also the second jackpot winner from Cohoes in 2011. Deborah Hollenbach of Cohoes claimed her $3,000,000 Magnificent Millions jackpot on January 24 of this year.

William Ball, 55, of Glens Falls is New York's newest winner of a $1,000,000 Sweet Million jackpot. It all started for the Warren Tire Service Station automotive technician with a trip to the Stewart's Shop on Quaker Road in Queensbury on Thursday, October 20.

The father of three and grandfather of five explained, "I always stop at Stewart's on my way to work for coffee and my daily tickets. They know me pretty well there." He purchased his winning ticket on October 20 and stopped for a print-out of the drawing results on October 21. He checked his ticket in the driveway when he got home. "When I realized I matched all six numbers, I just stared in disbelief," he said of the moment he realized his good fortune.

Ball's luck didn't stop with the $1,000,000 win. "I also won $500 playing a Cashword scratch-off ticket that I bought on October 21," he said.

The Stewart's regular said he had a little fun with his local shop after he knew he had won. Explained Ball, "I went back to the store and said to the clerk, 'I heard you had a winner,' but I didn't tell them it was me!"

Ball claimed his $1,000,000 Sweet Million prize at the Schenectady Customer Service Center on October 24. He is the 19th New Yorker to win a Sweet Million jackpot.

The $1,000,000 prize on the Sweet Million game is paid as a lump sum. Ball will receive a one-time, net payment totaling $660,300. He said of his plans for the windfall, "We have rented our entire lives. I'm going to buy a home." Ball also plans to buy an SUV for his wife, Suzanne.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing over $3 billion in fiscal year 2010-2011 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery's aid represents over 15 percent of total state education funding to local school districts.

Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education. It takes into account both a school district's size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of Lottery school funding.

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