Greene County's First Lottery Millionaire of 2009 Is In The Winner's Circle At Saratoga Race Course

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SCHENECTADY, NY (08/05/2009)(readMedia)-- Thirty-year-old Tina Morse of Climax is Greene County's first Lottery Millionaire of 2009. She hit the top prize on the popular Cashtastic instant scratch off ticket from the New York Lottery. New York Lottery Draw Team Member Gretchen Dizer presented Morse with her ceremonial over-sized check in the Winner's Circle at the famed Saratoga Race Course following today's first race. The stay-at-home mother of two says she has her husband to thank for her newfound wealth.

"Dan and I have been playing the Lottery for years," said Morse, a former assistant teacher at Bethlehem Preschool. "He actually bought and scratched off the winning ticket and gave it to me to claim."

Dan Morse, owner of Dan's Shop car repair, purchased the couple's $1,000,000 winning Cashtastic ticket on July 13, 2009 at the Stewarts Shop on Route 81 in Greenville. Tina claimed the ticket on July 17th at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Schenectady.

"I bought the ticket on my way to work and held onto it all day until I could bring it home to Tina," he said. "Giving my wife the winning ticket just seemed like the right thing to do."

As is the case with most New York Lottery instant game prizes, the top prize on the $5 Cashtastic ticket is paid as a 20-year annuity. Morse will receive her prize in annual payments of $50,000 a year before required tax withholdings. Her annual net check will total $33,015.

When asked about plans for the prize money the Morses said they will be practical with the money. "Just like everybody else we have bills to pay and college tuitions to save for," said Tina Morse. "I do have a job for Dan though; I have wanted to put an addition on the house for years. I think that dream will finally become a reality."

Stewarts celebrated the Morses win with a free ice cream giveaway at the track. Race patrons were treated to a sampling of Stewarts' newest ice cream flavor, Chocolate Coffee Exacta.

The New York Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-9 to help support education in New York State, 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. The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning over $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago.

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