Twenty-six-year-old Lee Houghtling of Groton has claimed a $1,000,000 top prize on the New York Poker scratch-off game.

Houghtling, who works in the auto shop at a residence for youth and young adults, has been a Lottery player since the age of eighteen.

While heading to work, Houghtling said the unexpected happened.

“I stopped for coffee like usual and got $20 worth of tickets. I scratched the codes off the bottoms of the tickets and scanned them. I got a ‘Big Winner, Sign and Call the Lottery’ message on one of them. I asked the guy behind the counter to scan the ticket and he said, ‘Wow, man you just won a million!’”

Houghtling reported for work, but asked his boss to leave early so he could make the drive to Syracuse to claim his big win.

“I told him I won $1,000,000 on the Lottery and he told me to take as much time as I needed. He was pretty cool about it,” he laughed.

Houghtling said he buys Lottery tickets “just to see if I can put some extra money in my pocket.”

He admits he was not prepared to win a prize of this size.

“It’s finally sinking in. This is not a dream. Holy Cow, this is real!”

Houghtling has chosen to take his $1,000,000 prize in a one-time lump sum payment. After required withholdings, he will net $536,058.

Houghtling is Tompkins County’s first new millionaire since 2013.

His plans for the money include paying vehicle loans and buying a new car for his mother but, he said, the real prize “is the relief that comes with not having any debt.”

The New York Lottery contributed $12,643,166 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Tompkins County during fiscal year 2015-2016.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.30 billion in fiscal year 2015-2016 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents 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.