BUFFALO, N.Y. – Fifty-three-year-old Margaret Dolan of Kenmore, Erie County stopped at the Rite Aid at the corner of Colvin and Sheridan Drives in Buffalo last month to pick up a prescription, a greeting card and what would turn out to be a top-prize winning Win For Life Lottery scratch-off ticket. The veteran special education teacher said her sudden change of fortune didn’t exactly happen overnight.

“I bought the ticket, brought it home and then forgot about it for a few days,” she said. The “once-in-a-while” Lottery player said even after scratching the ticket, she wasn’t entirely sure she won.

“I called a couple of friends and texted them a picture of the ticket,” she said. “But, I still didn’t believe it was a winner until I brought it in to claim.” Dolan claimed her ticket on October 9 at the Lottery’s Buffalo Customer Service Center. When asked why she bought her Win for Life ticket, Dolan replied, “I always thought it would be nice to have a little extra money.”

Dolan opted to receive her prize as a one-time, lump sum payment of $776,638.00 (net $513,979 after required withholdings). She plans to continue working but admits a vacation may be in order.

   Dolan is New York State’s 114th Lottery millionaire in 2013.

The New York Lottery contributed $191,359,408.74 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Erie County during fiscal year 2012-13.

Dolan’s win brings to five the number of Erie County residents to win or share a Lottery jackpot prize in 2013. Other recent Lottery millionaires include:

• Cory and Alexandrea Hayhurst of West Seneca who split a $2,000,000 Money For Life scratch-off prize in January;
• Gina Ortiz of Depew who won a $1,000,000 Jumbo Bucks prize in February; and
• Alishea Gainer of Kenmore who took home a $1,000,000 New York Gold scratch-off prize in July.

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.