The New York Lottery Celebrates the Arrival of Spring with Five New Lottery Millionaires

FLUSHING, NY (03/28/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega celebrated the arrival of spring at the Queens Botanical Garden by introducing five new Lottery millionaires. The winners, from Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Long Island were presented with their ceremonial "big" checks among the newly bloomed flowers surrounding the Garden's Visitor and Administration Building.

Online Lotto subscriber hits $7,500,000 jackpot

James Janowsy of Manhattan first signed up for a Lotto subscription in 2001 so he wouldn't have to worry about missing a drawing. He randomly chose his numbers and at times thought of changing them, but decided against it. The decision to stick with his original combination paid off to the tune of $7,500,000 when his numbers matched all six numbers drawn on March 21.

"I started my Lotto subscription years ago and recently renewed it right from the Lottery's website," explained the School of Visual Arts professor. "When I received a message from the Lottery's subscription office, I immediately checked the Yo-Yolanda app on my phone and sure enough my numbers came out. After that I just walked around the apartment in a laughing fit."

Janowsky has 60 days from his official claim date of March 21 to decide whether he will receive his jackpot prize as a one-time lump sum payment or opt for 26 annuitized payments.

"I will use the majority of the winnings to save toward retirement and upgrade my apartment. I'm a Cincinnati Reds fan, so I will definitely catch a few of their games when they're in town playing the Yankees and Mets."

The New York Lottery subscription program was established in 1981 so players could purchase multiple drawing tickets for Lotto. Lotto subscriptions were first offered on the internet in November 2005. Mega Millions mail-in subscriptions were offered in January 2007 and internet play followed in May 2007. In September 2010, the subscription program was significantly upgraded to offer an enhanced web-based product with new player options. Players can purchase an online group subscription, view prize winnings from a secure player account, and make various multi-draw purchases for Lotto and Mega Millions instead of the standard 26 or 52 week plans offered via traditional "play by mail".

Brooklyn Lotto winner almost walked out of store without his $10,500,000 winning ticket

Derek McCaskie, 51, of Brooklyn stopped at the Fulton & Saratoga Deli on Fulton Street in Brooklyn to pick up his weekly Lotto tickets. When he walked out of the store, he realized he had left a ticket on the counter. He immediately went back to retrieve what turned out to be the $10,500,000 winning Lotto ticket for the February 15 drawing.

"It's a good thing I counted my tickets," said McCaskie. "If I hadn't gone back into the store, it would have been disastrous."

McCaskie opted to receive his $10,500,000 jackpot prize in one lump sum payment with a cash value of $7,080,058. His net check will total $4,411,159.

"Everyone has their game, but mine is Lotto. I am just so happy I decided to stick with it while everyone else played the other games," he explained.

McCaskie, a native of Barbados, plans to use his winnings to travel to the Caribbean and visit with his family.

Weekly shopping trip nets Maspeth retiree $1,000,000 Lottery win

Harry Singh, 68, of Maspeth, Queens makes a weekly trip to a Jackson Heights neighborhood to do some shopping. While there he always stops at the Shah Stationery on 37th Avenue to pick up a Lottery ticket or two. On March 4, Singh's shopping trip turned into the trip of a lifetime. Singh purchased a Golden Opportunity scratch-off ticket that turned out to be a $1,000,000 winner.

"I scratched the ticket in the car after I was done with the day's shopping. I figured if I won some money I would run back into the store and cash it in. I knew right away I had just won a million dollars, so I signed the ticket and brought it straight home," he explained.

Singh will receive his $1,000,000 prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000. His annual net check will total $31,152. "I haven't really thought about how I will spend the money. I think first I'll move out of my apartment and by a condo."

Random stop for milk, snacks and a Lottery ticket earns Lindenhurst couple $1,000,000 payday

David D'Amore, 66, of Lindenhurst, Suffolk County was out buying snacks for a movie he and his girlfriend, Diane Pasquale, were planning to go to see. While out shopping, Pasquale called and asked him to pick up some milk. D'Amore used the five dollars in change from his purchase and bought a jackpot winning 20X The Money scratch-off ticket.

"I brought the ticket home to Diane and let her scratch it off. When it finally hit us that we just won a million dollars, it felt surreal, explained D'Amore. "I bought the ticket and Diane scratched it so we thought the only fair thing to do was share the prize."

D'Amore purchased the couple's winning ticket on February 20 at the Linden Quick Stop on West Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst. They claimed their prize on March 1 at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Garden City. D'Amore will receive 20 annual payments of $35,000, netting him $23,163 after required withholdings. Pasquale will receive 20 payments of $15,000, netting her $9,927 a year.

"My share will go toward my new Corvette and paying off the new furniture I recently purchased," explained Pasquale. "I plan to buy myself a new Camaro, but my big treat is to take a trip with Diane to Hawaii and finally visit Pearl Harbor," said D'Amore.

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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