For Immediate Release:                                 Contact:  Communications Office

March 14, 2014                                                               (518) 388-3415

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YONKERS, N.Y. – The New York Lottery’s Gretchen Dizer today introduced five new Lottery millionaires from Elizaville in Columbia County, Pearl River in Rockland County and Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, and Thornwood in Westchester County. The lucky Lottery players won their prizes on Powerball and Sweet Million drawings and various scratch-off games.

Pearl River Woman Claims $1,000,000 Prize on Monopoly Jackpot Scratch-Off Game

Nicola “Nicki” Meehan of Pearl River, Rockland County, is the latest jackpot winner on the popular Monopoly Jackpot scratch-off game from the New York Lottery.

Meehan said she used the $15 she won on other Monopoly Jackpot scratch-off games to buy three more of the same ticket on Saturday, February 9 at the 7-Eleven at 191 North Middletown Road in Pearl River. 

Meehan explained, “I brought the tickets home and gave two to my family to scratch off, and I kept one. The one I kept ended up being the winner.” She said she knew she won the $1,000,000 prize when she saw the automatic win coin symbol printed above the word “Jackpot” on her ticket.

Meehan said she usually only plays the Lottery when the draw game jackpots are really big. She decided to buy the Monopoly Jackpot ticket because it was a new game and she likes playing Monopoly.

Meehan claimed her ticket on February 10 at the Lottery’s Fishkill Customer Service Center.  Her $1,000,000 prize will be paid out as a one-time lump sum payment totaling $516,204 after required withholdings

Meehan said she is unsure about her plans for the prize money other than she would like to take her mother back to Ireland to visit family.

She is the 18th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $25,667,967.26 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Rockland County during fiscal year 2012-2013.

Thornwood Man Wins $1,000,000 Powerball Second Prize

John Dubbioso of Thornwood, Westchester County won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the January 29 drawing. He claimed his winning ticket on February 10 at the Lottery’s Fishkill Customer Service Center. 

Dubbioso purchased his ticket Wednesday, January 29, the day of the drawing, at the Courtesy Mobil Car Care at 19 Marble Avenue in Thornwood. He waited until the Sunday after the drawing to scan his ticket and that’s when he found out he was a big winner.

“After I scanned the ticket, and it said ‘big winner,’ I didn’t quite know what that meant,” said Dubbioso. “So I asked the store clerk to scan it, and she told me I won a million bucks!  I was in shock.”

The $1,000,000 Powerball second prize is paid out as a one-time lump sum payment. Dubbioso will receive a net check totaling $661,800 after required withholdings. Dubbioso said his plans for the prize money include putting some of it away for his grandchildren and buying a few things for himself.

The winning numbers from the January 29 Powerball drawing were 11-23-28-32-47, Powerball 20. 

He is the 26th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $70,858,076.81 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Westchester County during fiscal year 2012-2013.

Scarsdale Woman Has a Winning Hand with New York Poker Scratch-off Game

Julieta Ribeiro of Scarsdale, Westchester County won $1,000,000 on the New York Poker scratch-off game. 

Ribeiro’s New York Poker cards beat the champion’s cards resulting in a jackpot win of $1,000,000. She said that when she realized she had hit the jackpot she was excited and very happy about the win.

Ribeiro purchased her ticket at TJ’s Deli Café at 699-701 Locust Street in Mount Vernon.  She claimed her ticket on January 28.

Ribeiro chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment totaling $536,058 after required withholdings. She is the 13th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $70,858,076.81 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Westchester County during fiscal year 2012-2013.

Sleepy Hollow Man Wins $1,000,000 Powerball Second Prize

Luis Ospina of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the February 8 drawing.

Ospina purchased his ticket the day before the drawing at Dollar Dream at 124 Wildey Street in Tarrytown.  He claimed his ticket on February 11.

The $1,000,000 Powerball second prize is paid out as a one-time lump sum payment. Ospina will receive a net check totaling $661,800 after required withholdings. He is the 28th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The winning numbers from the February 8 Powerball drawing were 24-25-34-37-54, Powerball 29. 

The New York Lottery contributed $70,858,076.81 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Westchester County during fiscal year 2012-2013.

Frequent Lottery Player Wins “Sweet” Prize

Nathaniel Brown, of Elizaville, Columbia County won the $1,000,000 top prize on the February 27 Sweet Million drawing.

Brown said he plays the Lottery often both draw games and instant games. He has won smaller amounts before, but this is his first “big win.”

Brown bought his ticket on February 27 the day of the drawing. He went to the Getty station in Ancram to buy ketchup, and since he plays Sweet Million often, he decided to buy a ticket for that night’s drawing.

He waited until Saturday, March 1 to check his ticket when he was in Stewart’s.  The self-checker was broken, so he handed his ticket to the store clerk to check it for him. The clerk scanned the ticket and told him, “You hit the jackpot!”  Brown said his first reaction was “utter surprise.”

Brown claimed his ticket on March 3 at the Lottery’s Fishkill Customer Service Center.  Brown said he is unsure about his plans for the money.  He wants to take some time to really think about what to do with his winnings before making any decisions.

The winning numbers for the February 27 Sweet Million drawing were 05-12-19-20-33-38.

Brown will receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment totaling $661,800 after required withholdings. He is the 37th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $5,799,956.64 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Columbia County during fiscal year 2012-13. 

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.