The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega today presented an over-sized check worth $5 million to William Villecco of Harpursville at a very lucky Wegmans in Johnson City today. Villecco purchased his life changing Set For Life scratch-off ticket at the very same store that fellow Broome County resident George Metritikas purchased his back in 2011.  Metritikas won his $2,000,000 prize on a $500,000,000 Extravaganza ticket.

Villecco, 70, has his fiancé Joanne to thank for his newfound fortune. “We drove out to Weis Markets to buy a wicker chair set, but the price wasn’t right.  We left there and went to Wegmans and that’s when I purchased the ticket.”

Villecco put the tickets in his back pocket and planned to scratch them when he returned home. “Joanne went out for her daily walk and I sat down and remembered my Lottery tickets.  The five million dollar winner was the last one I scratched,” explained the retired purchasing agent.  “I remember seeing the ‘auto win’ coin and figured it was a $10 winner.  When I saw the word ‘life’ underneath I couldn’t believe my eyes!”

Villecco chose to receive his prize in a single lump sum payment totaling $4,205,366 (net $2,783,111). “Winning the Lottery is truly a life changing experience,” explained the new multi-millionaire.  “My first purchase will be a new pickup truck.  We have a lot of friends in Florida that we visit quite often.  Next trip we’ll be looking to buy a place of our own.”

The New York Lottery contributed more than $42,159,243 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Broome 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.

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