Combination of Family Birthdays Earns Port Jervis Baker $1,000,000 Pay Day

PORT JERVIS, NY (11/17/2011)(readMedia)-- Christopher Johnson of Port Jervis, Orange County had a simple strategy for choosing his Sweet Million numbers. "I combined different numbers from the birthdays of my wife, Victoria, and our two children," explained the 49-year-old Price Chopper baker. The six numbers Johnston chose matched all six numbers drawn (2-5-10-16-27-30) on November 3, earning the father of two a $1,000,000 pay day.

"I read the numbers in the paper the day after the drawing, and I recognized them immediately," explained Johnston. "When I realized I matched all six, all I could think was wishes really do come true!"

Johnston claimed his $1,000,000 Sweet Million prize at the Fishkill Customer Service Center on November 4. He is the 20th New Yorker to win a Sweet Million jackpot since the game started in 2009.

The $1,000,000 prize on the Sweet Million game is paid as a lump sum. Johnston will receive a one time, net payment totaling $660,300. He said of his plans for the windfall, "I won the prize using my family's birthdays, so it's only right to share the prize with them. I think a nice, long family vacation to the Caribbean is in order." Johnston also plans to buy a new TV and put the rest toward his retirement.

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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