Westchester County Lottery Player "Positive" About $18,000,000 Lotto Win

YONKERS, NY (08/09/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York Lottery's Yolanda Vega today presented an $18,000,000 Lotto jackpot prize check to Peter Gee of Cortlandt Manor. The 58-year-old Postal Service retiree claimed the sole top-prize for the July 7 Lotto drawing; a feat he said was the product of fate.

"I went to the Post Office of all places that morning to drop off a package for my sister and decided to stop in for a ticket at a store close by," explained the recently retired Postal Supervisor. "Even then it was a toss-up," he continued. "Powerball or Lotto? I went with Lotto." Gee bought his fateful Lotto ticket at the Riverside Deli on Old Albany Post Rd. in Croton On Hudson.

Gee realized he was $18,000,000 richer the morning following the drawing after checking his numbers on the Lottery's website, nylottery.org. "I called to my wife, 'We won! We Won!'" said Gee. "She wouldn't believe me until I let her hold the ticket and check for herself." Gee said he never left the house that weekend because he was busy safeguarding the ticket. "I was very happy when Monday came," he said. "I was even happier when the Lottery person checked my ticket and said, 'Congratulations, you won the jackpot!'"

The winning numbers for the July 7 Lotto drawing were 6 10 19 22 37 43 Bonus Number 13. Gee opted to receive his jackpot prize in one lump sum payment totaling $12,943,721 before required withholdings. The net amount to be wired into the account of his choice will total $8,566,155.

Of his plans for the money, Gee said he and his wife will travel the country at their leisure. "It's a nice feeling to know you're a jackpot winner," he said. "It's something you always hope will happen but don't think ever will. I guess the key to winning is staying positive."

Gee is the fourth Westchester County Lottery player to win or share a Lottery jackpot prize of $1,000,000 or more in 2012. Other recent winners include:

• Brandan Riordan of Yonkers who won at least $10,00,000 on the Win for Life Spectacular scratch-off game in January;

• Tara Ramirez of Hartsdale who won a $70,000,000 Powerball jackpot on behalf of the Case Park, LLC, a limited liability company she created following the February 25 drawing; and

• Robert Rice of New Rochelle who won $3,000,000 on the Triple Million scratch-off game in March.

The New York Lottery contributed $63,526,317.29 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Westchester 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.