Lottery Celebrates Western New York's Three Newest Millionaires

BUFFALO, NY (04/28/2010)(readMedia)-- The Lottery's three newest millionaires from Western New York and the Finger Lakes region received their ceremonial checks today at Bertha's Diner on Hertel Street in Buffalo. The winners included the owner of the diner, who won $1,000,000 on the Triple Diamonds instant ticket and a nursing supervisor, also from Buffalo, who won her $1,000,000 prize on the popular $500,000,000 Extravaganza instant ticket. The third winner is an orthodontic technician from Corning, Steuben County, who hit the $1,000,000 jackpot on Sweet Million.

Entrepreneur buys Lottery ticket to pass the time; Hits million dollar top prize

Forty-two-year-old Kenneth Kerr of Buffalo sometimes buys Lottery tickets to pass the time between the breakfast and lunch rush at Bertha's Diner, which he owns with his wife Elizabeth. On April 12th, Kerr closed his business for a planned vacation and walked next door to get a ticket to celebrate his extended down time. He got more than he bargained for when he scratched his Triple Diamonds instant ticket to reveal a $1,000,000 prize.

"I've won a couple dollars in the past but nothing like this," said Kerr. "When I scratched the Triple Diamonds ticket and saw all those zeros, I couldn't believe my eyes."

Kerr purchased his winning ticket on April 12th at the Hertel News and Tobacco on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo. He claimed his ticket later that day at the Lottery's Customer Service Center on Genesee Street.

"My wife Elizabeth and I have owned the diner for just over two years and absolutely love working here so that won't change. This just allows us to live a more comfortable life and it will help once we reach retirement," he said. "Our customers can be rest assured that Bertha's will be in the neighborhood for a long, long time."

As is the case with most New York Lottery instant games, the top prize on the Triple Diamonds game is paid as $50,000 a year for 20 years. Following his initial payment, Kerr will continue to receive an annual net check totaling $33,015 through 2030.

Buffalo woman tries luck on Lottery ticket while waiting for Chinese take out

Forty-eight-year-old Anne Hoernke of Buffalo, Erie County, was simply running out to pick up some Chinese food for her and her fiancé. While waiting for the order she walked to a nearby mini mart and decided to buy a Lottery ticket to pass the time. She purchased a $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket and hit the $1,000,000 third prize making her an instant millionaire.

"To be honest I really had no intention of playing the Lottery that day. I placed our dinner order and while I waited for it I took a walk. I saw the store and thought why not try a Lottery ticket," said the mother of three. "I scratched it in the car and when I realized I won I screamed 'Oh my God.' I then went back to pick up the food as a calmly as possible, but the excitement had already set in," she said.

Hoernke purchased her winning ticket on April 17th, at the Cazenovia Mini Mart on Seneca Street in Buffalo. She claimed her prize at the Lottery's Buffalo Customer Service Center on April 19th. The $1,000,000 prize on the $500,000,000 Extravaganza game is paid as $50,000 a year for 20 years. Her annual net check will total $33,015 after tax withholdings.

Hoernke is absolutely thrilled to become an instant millionaire and already has a long, but practical list of things she would like to do with the money. "I've already started dreaming of all the fun things I can do with the money. I want to take a trip somewhere, buy a car, buy new appliances. Maybe not all at once, but I plan on enjoying my good fortune."

Corning Woman's $1,000,000 Sweet Million Win is the Icing on Husband's Birthday Cake

Valerie Dell of Corning, Steuben County, purchased the sole jackpot-winning ticket for the New York Lottery's Sweet Million drawing held on March 18th. The 58-year-old orthodontic technician purchased her ticket on the day of the drawing and, as usual, checked her winning numbers the following day during lunch. But this time, something was different. All her numbers matched.

"I remained as calm as I could," said the mother of two. "I called (my husband) at work but he was busy celebrating his birthday with co-workers. I told the office to put him on the phone because I had the best birthday present ever."

Dell said she started playing Sweet Million because the twice-weekly draw game offered the best odds of winning a $1,000,000. She spent $5 for five sets of randomly generated Quick Pick numbers for the March 18th drawing. The second set of numbers - 4 10 11 36 39 40 - turned out to be the winning combination. Dell purchased her winning ticket at the Byrne Dairy on West Pulteney St. in Corning. She claimed her $1,000,000 jackpot on March 30th at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Schenectady. "I just needed some time to let it sink in," she said. She will receive her $1,000,000 cash prize in one net payment totaling $660,300.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning more than $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago. The Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 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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