Genoa, NY – The New York Lottery’s Gretchen Dizer today presented a ceremonial prize check worth at least $1 million to 47-year-old Sharon Hitchings of Genoa, Cayuga County. Hitching’s windfall comes just six months after the self-employed house cleaner cashed in a $400 winning ticket she purchased from the same store.

“It’s the only store at the only intersection in a one spotlight town,” said Hitchings, a single mother of one. Hitchings purchased her $1 million-winning ticket at the Pit Stop at 1021 State Route 34 in Genoa.

“I won $400 on a couple of tickets I bought here last summer as we were heading out to a Yankees game to say goodbye to Derek Jeter. We stopped here to fuel up and I had the game paid for before we got there!”

Hitchings opted to receive the cash value of her annuitized prize. She will receive a one-time lump sum payment of $816,373 (net $540,276).

The Genoa native said her plans for the money are practical, in keeping with her surroundings. “This is dairy country,” she said. “There are more cows than people out here. We love thrift shops and keeping things simple. My only plan right now is to get a new washing machine – a front loader – and a matching dryer.”

Hitchings is the fifth Lottery player from Cayuga County to win a Lottery prize of $1 million or more. The most recent winner to claim a prize is Richard Smith of Port Byron who won a $6 million Lotto jackpot in 2001.

The New York Lottery contributed $14,676,576.15 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Cayuga County during fiscal year 2013-2014.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.17 billion in fiscal year 2013-2014 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.