Husband and wife Paul Palladino and Amy Carroll of Syracuse claimed the last $1,000,000 top prize available on the popular New York Lottery scratch-off game Prism Payout. The pair of financial professionals bought their ticket July 26 as they exited the Tops Friendly market at 350 Towne Drive in Fayetteville. Carroll purchased the couple’s $5 scratch-off ticket from the store’s vending machine after the pair agreed to try something new; a decision that turned out to be a real game changer.

“The ticket choice was unusual for us,” said Palladino. “We usually buy the $10 or $20 tickets, but we went for this one this time for some reason.”

Carroll said she sat at the kitchen table after unpacking groceries and scratched the Prism Payout ticket to reveal a match on the number 21 and the word “Jackpot” printed below. “We went to a different Tops Friendly market to run the ticket through their ticket checker and sure enough it said, ‘Big Winner,’” she said. 

The couple said they reserved their celebration until they had left the store. “We didn’t want to attract any attention,” said Carroll. “I didn’t want to pull a hamstring,” laughed Palladino.

The couple’s short-term plans for their prize include paying down debt and planning for a vacation somewhere warm during the long Central New York winter. Long-term plans for the pair include investing for the future.

The top prize on the Prism Payout ticket was designed to be paid as an annuity. Palladino and Carroll opted to take advantage of a new Lottery payment option available to scratch-off game jackpot winners and chose to receive their prize in one lump sum instead of 20 annual payments. Palladino and Carroll will each receive a one-time payment totaling $410,000 (net $271,338).

The pair’s win marks the second time this year that a jackpot winning New York Lottery ticket has been sold in Onondaga County. In April of this year, Albert Totari of Camillus claimed a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the drawing held on April 13. Totari purchased his winning Quick Pick ticket at C & C Mini Market on North Salina Street.

The New York Lottery contributed a total of $105,227,174.87 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Onondaga County during fiscal year 2012-2013.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.04 billion in fiscal year 2012-2013 to help support education in New York State.  The Lottery’s contribution represents 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.

About the New York State Gaming Commission

The New York State Gaming Commission regulates all aspects of gaming and gambling activity in the state, including horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, class III Indian gaming, video lottery terminal facilities at race tracks, the state lottery and charitable gaming.