Syracuse Scratch-Off Winner is Onondaga County's Newest Lottery Millionaire of 2012

SYRACUSE, NY (07/27/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery today announced Ian Hennessey, of Syracuse, is Onondaga County's newest Lottery millionaire. The 24-year-old Hennessey won $1,000,000 on the New York Lottery's $1,000,000 Cashword game, a crossword themed game introduced in 2009.

Hennessey said he "already has a lot of things going for him," but now he has one more thing, a $1,000,000 jackpot prize from the New York Lottery.

Hennessey said he has no immediate plans for the money, other than taking care of his family. Hennessey plans on continuing to work and does not plan on changing his current lifestyle.

The jackpot-prize winning ticket was purchased on June 21 at Frank's West End Market on West Fulton Street in Gloversville as Hennessey has family in the Gloversville area.

A Gloversville native, Hennessey traveled from Syracuse to the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Schenectady on June 26 to claim his prize because "when something big like this happens, you always go home- at least I do," he stated.

The top prize on the $1,000,000 Cashword scratch-off game is paid as a single, lump sum payment. Hennessey will receive a net check totaling $661,800 after required withholdings.

Hennessey is Onondaga County's second Lottery millionaire of 2012. The first was Samlane Lathavong of Liverpool who won $1,000,000 on the May 26 Powerball drawing.

The New York Lottery contributed $101,319,966.04 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Onondaga County during fiscal year 2011-12.

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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