Irish Immigrant Wins "Win For Life Spectacular" Prize Worth at Least $10,000,000

YONKERS, NY (02/10/2012)(readMedia)-- Twenty-eight-year-old Brendan Riordan was reluctant to leave his native Ireland when his family moved to Westchester County in 2003 in search of a new beginning. Looking back on the last eight years, Riordan is ready to admit, the change was for the better. "I quit smoking," he said. "I got my real estate license, and I won the Lottery!" As a top prize winner on the New York Lottery's Win For Life Spectacular scratch-off game, Riordan is guaranteed to receive a minimum prize of $10,000,000.

Riordan purchased his winning Win For Life Spectacular ticket on January 28 at the Irish Mini market on McLean Avenue in Yonkers. "I was driving around looking at properties and decided to stop for a couple of tickets," explained the young realtor. "I started to scratch them that night but got sidetracked when a movie I wanted to see came on TV." Riordan said he finished scratching his Win For Life Spectacular tickets on Sunday morning.

"I matched the number 19 on the top and bottom and kept thinking there must be a mistake," recalled Riordan. "I passed the ticket to my parents, but they don't play the Lottery so they weren't much help." Riordan claimed his prize on January 30 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Fishkill. "I spent the whole weekend looking for answers. I couldn't wait for Monday to come."

As a top prize winner on the Win For Life Spectacular game, Riordan will receive his minimum prize of $10,000,000 in 20 annual installments of $520,000 (net $337,256). Once the minimum has been reached, Riordan will continue to receive an annual net check for life.

As for his plans for the money, Riordan said, "I never made plans because I never really thought I'd win." The newly licensed real estate agent turned Lottery millionaire said his first real estate transaction may come from the buyer's perspective. "I'd like to own a house here in New York...and one in Ireland, too," he said.

About the New York Lottery

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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