Dunkirk Powerball Player Wins $1,000,000 Power Play Prize

Thomas Velk, 57, of Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, recently claimed the $1,000,000 Power Play prize he won from the Powerball drawing held on April 28th. Velk, who considers himself a "big jackpot" player, said winning $1,000,000 was a total fluke.

"I bought five sets of numbers and handed the clerk $5," said the Fredonia State College employee. "But, being new to the game, I also checked off the Power Play box on my play slip by mistake, which, the clerk explained, added an extra $1 per game. I figured it was meant to be so I took the ticket. Velk said he realized the "value of his mistake" when he claimed his prize. "If I didn't check the Power Play box, the pay out would have been $200,000, not $1,000,000," he said. "(It) turned out to be a very lucky mistake."

New York's Power Play is an optional feature available to all Powerball players. The feature, which costs an additional $1 per game, gives players a chance to multiply their winnings at the lower tier prize levels. Players like Velk who choose the Power Play option and match the first five numbers drawn, automatically win $1,000,000. Players who match the first five numbers plus the Power Ball win the jackpot. The winning numbers for the April 28th Powerball drawing were 1 12 53 56 57 and Power Ball 29.

Velk will receive his prize as a lump sum payment. He received a net check in the amount of $660,300. Velk and his wife of 30 years, Denise, plan to invest most of the money for retirement. Other, more immediate plans for the money include buying a new car and putting money down on a new house for the couple's daughter.

Velk purchased his winning ticket on April 28th at Matt's News on East 3rd Street in Dunkirk. He claimed his prize on April 30th at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Buffalo.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning more than $39.3 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago. The Lottery contributed nearly $2.67 billion in fiscal year 2009-2010 to help support education in New York State, which was over 12 percent of total state education funding to local school districts.

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