Lottery Buddies from Manhattan, Morganville, NJ Share $14,000,000 Mega Millions Prize

JAMAICA, NY (10/04/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega today presented a total of $19,000,000 in Lottery prizes to a host of recent downstate and out-of-state winners. The multiple winner event took place at the posh Resorts World New York City Casino in Queens.

The day's biggest over-sized checks went to a pair of long-time Lottery buddies from Manhattan and Morganville, NJ, respectively. Willie McPherson, 74, and Christopher Manzi, 44, have been pooling their money to play New York Lottery games for the past 25 years. The pair met when McPherson began working for Manzi at the latter's Manhattan-based print shop more than two decades ago. Manzi said the resulting friendship was rooted in a long list of mutual interests.

"We both love the Lottery and the ladies," chuckled Manzi.

Manzi said he and McPherson have been chipping in $40 a week for as long as he can remember; a tradition that continued even after McPherson retired from the print shop several years ago. "I loaned him the $20 for the drawing we won on," chided Manzi. "I'm thinking he's got enough now to pay me back."

McPherson said Manzi might have bankrolled the couple's sudden change of fortune, but it was McPherson's lucky touch that made them both Lottery millionaires. The pair won their fortune on a Free Play ticket McPherson received as part of a Lottery promotion wherein players were eligible to receive two free Mega Millions Quick Pick tickets with the purchase of $10 worth of Mega Millions on a single ticket. "We won $14 million on a Free Play ticket!" McPherson said excitedly. "Fourteen million dollars on a FREE ticket!"

McPherson picked up the pair's winning Free Play ticket at Kyu's Coffee Shop on West 32nd St. in Manhattan.

Both men opted to receive their share of the prize in a single lump sum payment. New Jersey's Manzi will receive a net check totaling $3,475,319. McPherson, of Manhattan, will receive a net check totaling $3,271,778. Manzi said the pair planned to go on vacation together and invest in real estate. "I'll buy him a house and then he can buy one for me."

Other Lottery winners to receive ceremonial prize checks today include:

• A group of 12 co-workers from a Manhattan-based financial services firm. The self-named CSW-Group LLC won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the drawing held on August 1. Group members to share a net check totaling $661,803 include: Richard Anzovino of Stormville, Dutchess County; Norman Parton of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County; Daisy Hoyos-Montalvo of Maspeth, Queens; Michael Lepole of Hoboken, NJ; Douglas Nieters of Manhattan; Lee Byrnes Truss of Port Washington, Nassau County; Max McClusky of Wappingers, Dutchess County; Sheila Cheung of Bayside, Queens; Teri LaBarbera of Brooklyn; David Rossilli of Clark, NJ; Roslyn de Freitas of Brooklyn; Melissa Padavano of Staten Island. Group member Melissa Padavano purchased the group's lucky ticket at Hylan Family, Inc. at 2270 Hylan Blvd. in Staten Island;

• Mail house employee Alvin Cresencia, 42, of Hicksville, Nassau County who won a $1,000,000 jackpot prize from the Sweet Million drawing held on August 23. Cresencia purchased his winning ticket at the 7-Eleven at 1003 Fulton St. in Farmingdale. His net check will total $661,800;

• Chef Ioannis Alexander, 53, of Astoria, Queens who won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the drawing held on September 12. Alexander purchased his winning ticket at the 33rd St. Convenience and Discount at 32-19 Broadway in Astoria. His net check will total $661,800;

• Deli owner Sangyol Paek, 54, of Plainview, Nassau County who claimed a $1,000,000 top prize on the $1,000,000 Payday scratch-off game. Paek purchased her ticket at B Quick Printers at 46 West John St. in Hicksville. Her prize will be paid as $50,000 a year for 20 years; netting her $33,090 a year through 2031; and

• Freight car company employee Nikolaie Haidu, 48, of Lindenhurst, Suffolk County who won a $1,000,000 top prize on the Ruby Red X12 scratch-off game. Haidu purchased his top-prize winning ticket at Restaurant Associates LLC at 235 E 42nd St. in Manhattan. He will receive his prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000 (net $33,090).

The New York Lottery contributed $1,110,484,399.89 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout the five boroughs during fiscal year 2011-2012.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing nearly $2.9 billion in fiscal year 2011-2012 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery's contribution represents nearly 15 percent of total state education aid to local school districts.

New York 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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