Two Local Women Win Lottery Prizes Just Two Days Apart

TROY, NY (03/01/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery's Gretchen Dizer today presented $4,000,000 in ceremonial prize checks to two Lottery millionaire winners from Watervliet and Troy. The winners each won their prizes on two different scratch-off tickets just two days apart.

Watervliet Registered Nurse Purchases $1,000,000 Scratch-Off Winner at "her" Stewart's Shop

Raquel Donovan considers the Stewart's on Vandenburgh Avenue in Troy to be "her" Stewart's. That's where the 31-year-old registered nurse stops to gas up and pick up her Lottery tickets. She can now refer to it as "her lucky" Stewart's. Donovan won the $1,000,000 top prize on a $1,000,000 Payday scratch-off ticket she purchased at Stewart's on February 21.

"I go there all the time," explained Donovan. "They know me really well there." Donovan chose the $1,000,000 Payday ticket because she prefers the newer games. "I scratched the ticket later that night when I got home. I knew immediately I had won and just screamed 'Oh my God!'" I locked it in my file cabinet and slept really well that night."

As with most scratch-off games, the $1,000,000 top prize on the $1,000,000 Payday ticket is paid as $50,000 a year for 20 years. Donovan will receive an annual net check totaling $33,090 through 2031.

As for her plans for the $1,000,000 prize, Donovan had a familiar answer, "We're going to Disneyland!"

Son's Birthday Proves Lucky for Troy Nursing Home Employee Who Won $3,000,000 on a Make Me Rich Scratch-Off Ticket

Darlene Maselli, 53, of Troy doesn't consider herself to be a lucky person. She may now have to reconsider that notion. Maselli won the $3,000,000 top prize on the Lottery's Make Me Rich scratch-off ticket making her the second Capital Region millionaire winner in just two days. Maselli explains that she has her son's birthday to thank for her good fortune.

"I always pay attention to the numbers that match all of my children's birthdays," explained the mother of three. "My youngest son was born on February 23, so I immediately noticed that I matched the number 23 on my ticket. When I saw the word "jackpot" I had him take a look to verify what I was seeing. He simply said, 'Mom you won. I want a new car.'"

Maselli purchased her jackpot winning ticket on February 23 at Raj Quick Stop on 2nd Avenue in Troy. Her $3,000,000 prize will be paid as $150,000 a year for 20 years. Maselli's yearly net payment will total $99,270.

In addition to buying her son a new car, Maselli will also help him with his college tuition costs. "Of course I will help out my other two children as well as my three grandchildren," she explained. "While I'm shopping for cars I'll probably pick myself up one too."

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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