The First $5,000,000 Top Prize on the New $5,000,000 Cash Scratch-Off Game Belongs to a Rockland County Man

NEW CITY, NY (04/20/2012)(readMedia)-- Rocco Cannella, 50, of Nanuet nearly fainted when he realized the $5,000,000 Cash scratch-off game he just purchased earned him a $5,000,000 jackpot win. The Rockland County contractor is the first Lottery player in the state to win the top prize on the $20 game that went on sale April 3.

"I always give the new games a try when they come out," explained Cannella. "I scratched the ticket in my truck outside the store, and I thought I was going to faint. I took the ticket straight home and had my son take a look at it to make sure it was real."

Cannella purchased his winning ticket on April 6 at the Quick Stop on New Valley Road in New City. He claimed it at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Fishkill on April 9. "I spent the entire weekend showing family and friends what a five million dollar Lottery ticket looks like."

The top prize on the New York Lottery's $5,000,000 Cash scratch-off game is paid as a one-time lump sum cash payment. Cannella will receive a net check totaling $3,309,000 after required withholdings. "I have two sons that will be going to college in a few years, so I'll help them pay tuition costs," said Cannella. "I'll also buy a few cars, ease into retirement and just chill."

Cannella is the second Rockland County resident this year to win a Lottery prize valued at $1,000,000 or more. The County's first Lottery millionaire of 2012 was Joseph Cunnane of Congers who won a $1,000,000 Sweet Million prize in January.

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.