The New York Lottery will celebrate its 50th Anniversary on June 16 by holding a series of activities on Albany’s Empire State Plaza, hosted by Lottery spokeswoman Yolanda Vega. Everyone’s invited to join the party.
In recognition of the golden anniversary, Vega and the New York Lottery will host giveaways, contests and more, anchored by a special live drawing of the Midday NUMBERS and WIN 4 games from the Empire State Plaza. The event will complement the regular food truck and farmer’s market offerings already scheduled. The 50th Anniversary event is free and open to the public. All attendees ages 18 or older are welcome to participate in the contests described below.
“For 50 years, the New York Lottery has been providing fun and exciting games, resulting in billions of dollars in prizes across the Empire State,” said the New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega. “I’ve been fortunate to be a part of the Lottery’s legacy and I’m excited that our 50th Anniversary will give us a chance to entertain our players, thank our retailers, offer one-of-a-kind prizes, and have some fun in the sun – all at one great event!”
The June 16 celebration at the Empire State Plaza will take place on and around the “Made in the Shade of the Egg” stage from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature the following:
- Live Midday NUMBERS and Win 4 Drawings: At 12:26 p.m., the New York Lottery’s popular Midday NUMBERS and Win 4 drawings will be televised live from the Empire State Plaza, with Vega announcing the winning numbers.
- Meet Yolanda Vega: Vega will interact with fans on the Plaza, share memorable anecdotes about the New York Lottery, and ask trivia questions about the Lottery (with tickets as prizes for those who answer correctly).
- Play Lottery Games: Attendees will be able to purchase tickets for New York Lottery draw games and scratch-off tickets, including the commemorative $10,000,000 Cash 50th Anniversary ticket
- Free Powerball Coupons: The first 500 attendees (age 18 or older) will receive a "Buy One, Get One" Powerball coupon.
- Fun Games for Additional Prizes: Attendees who purchase $10 of New York Lottery games can try their luck with the “Dice Drop” game for additional prizes and merchandise. Those who spend $20 will receive a free spin of the New York Lottery's “Prize Wheel” for a chance to win a limited-edition Yolanda Vega t-shirt.
- New York Lottery Players Club: Attendees will have the opportunity to join the New York Lottery’s Players Club, where New York Lottery tickets have a second chance to win cash and prizes, and enter the 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes for a chance to win up to $50,000.
In the event of inclement weather, the festivities will be held in the South Performance Area of the Empire State Plaza concourse.
The Lottery’s year-long Anniversary celebration will continue after the Empire State Plaza event with a 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes where Players Club members will have a chance to win monthly cash prizes of $5,000 and a Grand Prize of $50,000. The first Players Club 50th Anniversary Sweepstakes drawing will take place in June.
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About the New York Lottery
The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.27 billion in fiscal year 2016-2017 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents approximately 14 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.
