Clarence, NY: The New Lottery Hot Spot? Clarence Man Claims Town's Second Jackpot-Winning Ticket of the Year

The Town of Clarence, Erie County, boasts a population of close to 28,000 full-time residents, including two of New York's newest Lottery millionaires. Tom Cutter, 46, a maintenance supervisor for a local gutter installation company, is the latest town resident to claim a Lottery prize valued at $1,000,000 or more. Cutter claimed his $3,000,000 top prize on the Lottery's Fat Wallet instant game on February 19 – just eight weeks after Robert Baker, also of Clarence, claimed a $1,000,000 prize on the $1,000,000 Cash Blast instant game. Lottery drawing emcee, Yolanda Vega, today awarded Cutter with his over-sized prize check at the Wilson Farms where the father of two purchased his wining ticket.

Admitting his reaction to winning may be a little different than most, Cutter said it's a moment he will never forget. "I scratched the ticket on the way out of the store," he explained." "I saw the word jackpot and stopped and leaned against the ATM machine to let it sink in. Then, I slid to the floor and just started crying. People ran over thinking the worst, but I showed them my ticket, and they understood."

Cutter purchased his $3,000,000 Fat Wallet winner on February 17, 2010 at the Wilson Farms store at 5380 Genesee St. in Bowmansville. He credits the traffic light at the corner of Genesee St. and Harris Hill Rd. with giving him the opportunity to put himself in the right place at the right time. "I was at the red light on my way home from work when I noticed the Lottery sign at Wilson Farms and decided to pull in to see what new games they had," he said. "This was a new game for me." The Lottery introduced the Fat Wallet game in January.

Cutter claimed his prize on February 19 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Buffalo. As with most instant games, the top prize on the Fat Wallet ticket is paid in 20 annual installments. Cutter will receive his $3,000,000 prize in 20 payments of $150,000 each. He will continue to receive a net check totaling $99,045 a year through 2029.

As for Cutter's plans for his additional annual income, the proud dad said he wanted to save for his daughters' future and invest. When asked about any short-term plans for the money, Cutter said a new truck might be in order. "A Chevy with a Duramax transmission…and a V- plow," he mused. "This is Buffalo. You've got to have a plow."

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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