COBLESKILL, N.Y. – Audrey Waltimyer of Sharon Springs initially thought there was something wrong with her scratch-off ticket, but eventually realized that it was a winner.

She’s “set for life” now that she has won a top prize of $5,000,000 on the New York Lottery’s ever popular Set for Life  scratch-off game. Waltimyer, who works in environmental services, was buying gas Friday, April 10 at the Royal Food Mart on East Main Street in Cobleskill and decided to buy some scratch-off tickets.

“I like the Set for Life game because I’ve won on it before, so I bought two tickets,” said Waltimyer.

 The next morning at home, Waltimyer scratched off the tickets.

 “I scratched the first ticket and saw the number ‘21’ matched, and then it said ‘LIFE’ underneath it. I thought something was wrong with the ticket,” said Waltimyer. “I thought I was seeing things, so I went and got my glasses. I just kept staring at the ticket. I was in shock.” 

Then she showed the ticket to her husband. He got his glasses and was just as shocked as his wife was at what he was seeing. 

Later that afternoon, Waltimyer called her son, told him the good news and asked him if he would drive her on Monday, April 13 to the Lottery’s Schenectady Customer Service Center so she could claim her prize. The next day, Waltimyer scratched off the second Set For Life ticket, but it was not a winner.

Waltimyer chose to receive her prize in one lump sum payment of $4,165,966 and will receive $2,757,036 after required withholdings. As for her plans for the prize money, Waltimyer said she really wants to take some time to think about what to do with her winnings, but she knows she will share some of it with her son.

Waltimyer is New York State’s 61st Lottery millionaire in 2015.

The New York Lottery contributed $6,476,663.85 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Schoharie 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.