Pleasant Valley Truck Driver Gets Ticket Worth at Least $1,000,000

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (03/22/2012)(readMedia)-- Fifty-one-year-old Daniel Hughes of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess County takes great pride in his expertise behind the wheel of his 18-wheeler. So, to say the veteran tri-state hauler was shocked at the ticket he picked up during a recent delivery to the Capital Region "would be an understatement," according to Hughes' wife of 26 years, Patricia. The ticket turned out to be a top prize winner on the New York Lottery's Win $1,000 A Week For Life game. The $2 scratch-off Hughes purchased out of a convenience store vending machine offers a guaranteed minimum prize of $1,000,000.

Hughes purchased his winning Win $1,000 A Week For Life scratch-off on February 24 at the Village Mobil on Wolf Road in Colonie during a routine stop in the Capital Region. "I stopped for coffee before getting on the Thruway and decided to get a ticket on the way out," explained the father of two. "I scratched it in the cab of my truck and had to sit there for a while to let it sink in." Hughes said he thought about calling Patricia to break the news, but then reconsidered. "I knew she wouldn't believe me," he laughed. Hughes said he got back on the road and began the 90-minute return trip to his depot in Poughkeepsie. "It was the longest trip of my life," he said.

Hughes opted to split the prize with his wife, netting each a 50 percent share of the guaranteed $1,000,000 minimum prize. The couple claimed their prize on February 27 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Fishkill. "Of course, we're thankful we won," he said. "But, I don't see too much changing. This is college money for the kids and a chance to breathe a little easier."

Hughes and his wife will each receive 19 annual payments of $26,000 (net $17,207) and a 20th payment of $6,000 (net $3,971) to reach their respective share of the $1,000,000 minimum prize. Once the minimum threshold has been met, Daniel and Patricia will continue to receive individual net checks totaling $17,207 each year for the rest of Daniel's life. When pressed about any plans to celebrate the couple's new found wealth, Daniel conceded it might be time to invest in a new pair of sneakers. "The ones I have are pretty shot," he said.

The Hughes' $1,000,000 win makes them Dutchess County's first Lottery millionaires of 2012. Other recent Dutchess County Lottery players to claim a prize of $1,000,000 or more include Vincent Cipriani of Poughkeepsie who won at least $10,000,000 on the Win For Life Spectacular scratch-off in May of 2011, and Jessica Lopez of Poughkeepsie who claimed her $1,000,000 prize on the Big Bills scratch-off in August of 2011.

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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