News from New York Lottery

For more information contact: Communications, 518-388-3415; Email: questions@lottery.state.ny.us; Web: nylottery.org

Rochester Mom's Last Minute Grocery List: Frozen Potatoes, $1,000,000 Bucks

Winner is Monroe County's First Lottery Millionaire of 2008

SCHENECTADY, NY (02/12/2008; 1045)(readMedia)-- Sybil Mason of Rochester, NY went to the Chili Avenue Wegmans last month in search of frozen potatoes. She left with a whole lot more. While there, the 43-year-old Mason purchased her potatoes and a New York Lottery Cashtastic instant ticket worth $1,000,000.

“I just put it in my purse and forgot about it,” said Mason, a self-described quiet, family-oriented person. “I just bought it for fun,” she continued. “You just never know.”

Mason is employed in the health information management unit at the University of Rochester. She said she has always dreamed of starting her own business as a medical transcriptionist or medical billing consultant.

“I love what I do. I’d love it even more if I could be my own boss.”

Mason plans to use a portion of her $1,000,000 windfall to buy a house in Chili after she makes some much needed repairs to her current home in Rochester.

“But my real priority is setting aside the funds I’ll need to send my children to college,” said the mother of three.

The Lottery introduced the Cashtastic instant game on January 23, 2008 at more than 16,000 retail locations statewide. The game features 12 chances to win a top prize of $1,000,000 to be paid in annual installments of $50,000 a year for 20 years.

Mason purchased her $1,000,000 winner at the Chili Avenue Wegmans on January 30, 2008. She claimed her prize at the Lottery’s Rochester Claim Center on February 4, 2008.

Mason is Monroe County’s first Lottery Millionaire of 2008. Her win comes on the heels of another Lottery check presentation to award Philip and Barbara Warney of Rochester with the $1,000,000 prize they won playing the Lottery’s popular $500,000,000 Extravaganza game. The Warneys claimed their prize on December 10, 2007.

Now in its 40th year in operation, the New York Lottery has generated more than $31 billion to help support education in New York State, including a record $2.3 billion in fiscal year 2006-2007 on incoming revenue of $7.18 billion. For more information, contact the New York Lottery Communications office at 518-388-3415 or email questions@lottery.state.ny.us

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