Teen is Lottery's Newest "New York Millionaire"

GARDEN CITY, NY (08/13/2009)(readMedia)-- A 19-year-old student still living at home in Midwood, Brooklyn, is the latest winner of the Lottery's New York Millionaire instant game. The young winner joins three other lucky Lottery players, representing Uniondale, Forest Hills, and Amityville of the New York metropolitan area. All four winners collectively won $5,000,000 from New York Lottery instant games, and will receive their oversize checks today from Yolanda Vega at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Garden City.

Nineteen-year-old is New York Lottery's Newest New York Millionaire

Nineteen-year-old Waqas Mazhar from Midwood, Brooklyn, purchased his $1,000,000 winning New York Millionaire instant ticket back in May, but waited until the end of July to claim his prize. A native of Pakistan, Mazhur has lived in the U.S. for more than five years with his parents and two younger siblings.

Mazhar was filling up his gas tank at Bolla Operating Corp. Store on Nostrand Ave. in Brooklyn when he asked the clerk for any $5 instant lottery ticket. Without scratching the ticket, Mazhar left to go play cricket with his friends.

"When I arrived at the field, I scratched my ticket in my car," said the student at Kingsborough College, who is currently working towards getting his GED. "When I realized I'd won, I left the field, went home, and told my parents. They couldn't believe it."

Mazhar claimed his $1,000,000 prize on July 27th at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Garden City. The largest lottery prize Mazhar previously ever won? $25.

New York Millionaire is a $5 instant game that currently has one $1,000,000 top prize, and 151 $1,000 second prizes remaining. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1:4.84.

Mazhar will receive his prize in 20 annual payment of $50,000 each before applicable tax withholdings. His annual net check will total $31,191.

Suffolk County Plumber Spends $20 and Wins $2,000,000 on $500,000,000 Extravaganza Instant Game

Thursday, July 9th was going along like any other day until Nehemiah Bellamy of Amityville, Suffolk County stopped at Chand Gasoline in Massapequa to fill up his tank, and decided to spend the extra $20 he had with him on one $500,000,000 Extravaganza instant ticket.

"I chose the Extravaganza ticket because I had $20 and the ticket cost $20," the owner of Nehemiah's Plumbing in Amityville said. "I was actually confused by all the choices so I went with the one I didn't have to think about."

Bellamy, who "doesn't usually buy (lottery) tickets," was shocked when he realized he won $2,000,000 on the instant ticket. "Who thinks they have a winner?" the 41-year-old wondered, who scratched the winning ticket in his car.

Bellamy, a father of three, plans to continue working and save his winnings. The day after purchasing his $2,000,000 ticket, Bellamy claimed his prize at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Garden City.

The $20 instant ticket has proved to be popular due to its impressive amount of top prizes, which include eight $5,000,000, 12 $2,000,000 and 84 $1,000,000 prizes. As of this writing, there are four $5,000,000, four $2,000,000 and 25 $1,000,000 prizes remaining.

Bellamy will receive his prize in 20 annual payments of $100,000 before federal and state tax withholdings. His annual net check will total $66,030.

Change of Luck For Retired Carnegie Deli Waitress

July 26, 2009 started out as any other Sunday for Mary Starkins from Forest Hills, Queens, who purchased two Win $1,000 A Week For Life instant Lottery tickets on her way to church at Vasu Convenience on Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills. She scratched the tickets on the subway platform, the second ticket revealing itself as a $1,000,000 jackpot winner.

"When I realized I'd won, I felt like I was stuck to the wall," the seventy-three-year-old said. "Then, I just put the ticket in my purse and went to church!"

Earlier this year Starkins retired from her job as a Carnegie Deli waitress. Recurring health problems prevented her from claiming her prize right away.

"My luck finally turned around," said the ever-optimistic Starkins. "I had a gut feeling I was going to win on the Win $1,000 A Week For Life."

Win $1,000 A Week For Life is a $2 instant ticket that currently has six $1,000 a week for life top prizes, and 94 $2,500 second prizes remaining. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1:4.74.

As a Win $1,000 A Week For Life winner, she will receive 19 annual payments of $52,000 each before taxes and one additional payment of $12,000 to realize her guaranteed minimum prize of $1,000,000. Her net checks for the first 20 years will total $34,336 and $7,924, respectively. After her 20th anniversary payment, she will continue to receive a net check totaling $34,336 a year, for life.

Nassau County Man Wins $1,000,000 Cosmic Cash Instant Ticket

Around 1 p.m. Saturday, July 11th Carl Williams from Uniondale, Nassau County went to Nu-Way Variety on Grand Ave. in Baldwin to purchase a cup of coffee and two instant Lottery tickets. He scratched the $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket first and won $50; then he scratched his Cosmic Cash ticket and found he won the $1,000,000 jackpot.

"I had the retailer validate the ticket; then I went home," the father of two said. "When I told my wife we'd won, she initially didn't believe me!"

For the past 25 years, Williams has worked as a supervisor of environmental services for the Franklin General Hospital in Valley Stream. He claimed his winning ticket July 13th at the Lottery Customer Service Center in Garden City.

"I plan to make my family comfortable and help others," Williams said of his plans for his winnings. "My wife is not working and things were getting a little tough. Things are better now."

Cosmic Cash is a $5 instant ticket that offers players 12 chances to win a top prize of $1,000,000. There are currently two outstanding jackpot prizes remaining.

The jackpot prize on the Cosmic Cash instant ticket is paid as a 20-year annuity. Williams will receive his prize in annual payments of $50,000 a year before required applicable tax withholdings, with an annual net check totaling $31,015.

The New York Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-9 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.

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