Syracuse Man Claims $1,000,000 A Year For Life Lottery Prize

SCHENECTADY, NY (07/01/2009)(readMedia)-- Syracuse native Patrick Clement likes to play the Lottery for the thrill of winning, but nothing could have prepared the "hard working landlord" for the shock of winning the Lottery's richest instant game prize ever - $1,000,000 A Year For Life.

"It's like nothing I've ever experienced before," he said. "I went in the store to buy a ticket - not even this ticket - and came out with more than I bargained for."

Clement said he stopped into the Byrne Dairy on West Genesee Street on June 13, 2009 for a cup of coffee and a Lottery ticket after completing some work at one of his nearby rental properties. The ticket he planned to buy was out of stock so he asked the clerk for a Win A $1,000,000 A Year For Life ticket instead.

"At first, I didn't think it was a winner so yeah, the ticket was actually in the trash at one point," recounted Clement. "But, lucky for me, I re-checked the ticket and here I am."

Clement's first attempt to claim his $1,000,000 A Year For Life prize at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Syracuse coincided with the Lottery's public introduction of the Silverbush family of Syracuse as the winners of a $35,000,000 Mega Millions jackpot from the drawing held on May 29, 2009. Clement opted to return later that same day to claim his own life-changing prize.

The top prize on the Win $1,000,000 A Year For Life ticket is paid in annual gross payments of $1,000,000. Clement is guaranteed to receive a minimum of 20 annual payments. After his initial disbursement, Clement will continue to receive an annual net check in the amount of $660,300 a year, for life.

Clement said he planned to continue working hard to provide quality housing for his tenants. As for his plans for the prize money, Clement said he would approach his new found wealth with the same conservative style that has served him well up to this point.

"Right now the only plan is to get the money in the bank! I look forward to helping my family, friends and loved ones - the things that matter."

Clement is the second statewide winner on the Lottery's Win $1,000,000 A Year For Life scratch-off game. The first winner, Kenan Altunis, a Long Island native now living in London, claimed his prize in October 2008. As of this writing, there are four more top prizes remaining.

The New York Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-09 to help support education in New York State, over 12 percent of total state education funding to local school districts. The Lottery's ongoing commitment to education also includes the awarding of more than 1,100 Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Scholarships annually to high school students pursuing their higher education in New York State. Since 1999, the Lottery has awarded more than 11,500 scholarships representing a total commitment of almost $50 million. The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning over $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago.