Lottery Players from Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island Share $10,000,000 in Jackpot Prizes

NEW YORK, NY (04/26/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega today presented five over-sized prize checks worth a collective $10,000,000 to New York's most recent Lottery millionaires. The five downstate winners received their checks at the Lottery's New York City Customer Service Center.

Boerum Hill deli manager wins $1,000,000 second prize with Mega Millions Megaplier

Twenty-nine-year-old Fath Nagi Zookari of Brooklyn's Boerum Hill neighborhood travels to his native Yemen "every two years or so" to visit family. Zookari, a deli manager in the Bronx, said his recent $1,000,000 Megaplier win from the March 27 Mega Millions drawing will allow him to see his family more often and realize his dream of starting his own business.

"I often dream of starting my own grocery," said Zookari who has managed a variety of grocery/deli businesses in the 17 years he has lived in New York City. "And, I'd like to own my own home," he continued. "Those are my priorities right now."

The Mega Millions Megaplier is an optional feature available to all players at the time of purchase for an additional $1 per game played. The add-on feature allows a winner to multiply any Mega Millions prize other than the jackpot up to four times the original amount. The Megaplier prize for matching the first five numbers drawn in any Mega Millions drawing is $1,000,000 cash. The winning Mega Millions numbers for the March 27 drawing were 9 – 19 – 34 – 44 – 51 Mega Ball 24.

Zookari purchased his winning Mega Millions Megaplier ticket March 27 at the Paradise Deli Grocery on LaFayette Avenue in Brooklyn. He checked his ticket at the same location the day after the drawing. "I remember being excited on the inside and quiet on the outside," recalled Zookari of the moment he realized he had a $1,000,000 winner. "I was very excited, but I didn't want anyone else to know that."

Zookari will receive his Megaplier million as a one-time net payment totaling $623,040.

East New York deliveryman wins $5,000,000 on Mega Money Multiplier scratch-off

Mega Money Multiplier top-prize winner Hezam Al-Nagar of East New York said he can't wait to receive his $5,000,000 prize because as the 42-year-old deliveryman put it, "I need to sleep!" The Yemen-born Al-Nagar said he hasn't had a restful night's sleep since claiming his $5,000,000 cash prize on March 1 because "I keep thinking about the house and the car and everything else I can get for my family now."

Al-Nagar bought his top-prize winning ticket March 1 at 1830 Convenience on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. He said he remembers the moment very well. "I stopped in the store, scratched some tickets and put the winner in my pocket. When I showed the ticket to my wife, she cried enough for the both of us."

Al-Nagar claimed his $5,000,000 winner the same day at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Manhattan. The $5,000,000 prize on the Mega Money Multiplier game is paid as a lump sum. Al-Nagar's check, less withholdings, will total $3,115,200.

Retired NYC Housing Authority Employee from Bushwick Wins Sweet Million Top Prize

Sixty-nine-year-old Martha Jackson of Bushwick, Brooklyn spent $1 on a single set of Quick Pick numbers for the Sweet Million drawing held on March 29. The following day, the retired New York City Housing Authority program employee saw her dreams come true.

"I checked the ticket at the store where I bought it," said the happy Lottery jackpot winner. Jackson bought her ticket at the La Placita Olvera Deli on Broadway in Brooklyn. "Of course I was shocked," she said. "I made sure to sign it right away." Jackson claimed the ticket at the Lottery's Manhattan offices on April 4. The winning numbers for the March 29 Sweet Million drawing were 3 – 4 – 16 – 25 – 35 – 37.

All Sweet Million jackpot prizes are paid as a lump sum. Jackson's net payment will total $623,040. Her plans for the money include buying a house and giving back to the community. "It's not all about me," she said. "I always say 'do right' or you'll just lose it."

Woodside Retiree Misses Jackpot by One Number, Still Wins $2,000,000 Powerball Prize

Nilda Cuevas, 61, of Woodside, Queens is a two-time Powerball millionaire of sorts. The lucky former insurance industry employee purchased two identical sets of numbers on two separate tickets for the April 7 Powerball drawing and then waited to see her numbers come in.

"I always play the same combination of birthdays, and I always buy two tickets," explained the Powerball fan. "I fell asleep before the drawing that night, but woke up early Sunday morning and saw the winning numbers on TV and knew immediately I had the first five numbers."

Cuevas said she couldn't wait to share her news with her husband. "I made him a cup of coffee and told him to sit down. He was as excited as me." The couple claimed Cuevas' two $1,000,000 winners on April 9 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in New York City.

Cuevas bought her winning tickets at the New Stadium Gourmet Deli on East 161st Street in the Bronx. She will receive her prize as one net payment totaling $1,246,080. Cuevas said she and her husband looked forward to "taking a different cruise every month for the foreseeable future."

Roslyn Heights Man Wins Last $1,000,000 Prize on Lottery's Black Pearls Scratch-Off Game

A routine stop for a couple of Lottery tickets on the way home from work proved to be an extraordinary experience for Ralph Russo of Roslyn, Nassau County. The 46-year-old self-employed electrician is the last Lottery player statewide to win a top prize of $1,000,000 on the Lottery's Black Pearls scratch-off game. The game has since been retired.

"I scratched a couple of tickets in the store and no luck," said Russo. "This one caught my eye on the way out, and I decided to give it another try." Russo scratched his ticket in the store and revealed an "automatic win" coin symbol. "I didn't know what to think so I gave it to the clerk to check and he said, 'You just won a million!'"

Russo brought the ticket home to show his wife. Her response was immediate. "She literally fell on the floor."

Russo bought his ticket April 2 at the Lenton Corporation convenience store located on Powerhouse Road in Roslyn Heights. He claimed it the following day at the Lottery's offices in Garden City.

The $1,000,000 prize on the Black Pearls ticket is paid as an annuity. Russo will receive a net check totaling $33,090 through 2031. His plans for the money include a trip to Aruba and helping his family.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing over $2.8 billion in fiscal year 2011-2012 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery's aid represents over 14 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.

###