For Immediate Release:                                         Contact: Communications Office

July 17, 2014                                                                         (518) 388-3415

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MODENA, N.Y. – Shahela Hossain, of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County won $1,000,000 on the Million Dollar Winner scratch-off game by sticking to her normal Lottery strategy.

Hossain said she plays the Lottery every week. On June 23, 2014, she stopped at the Citgo Gas Station at 1 Rudolph Road in Modena to get gas and to buy her Lottery tickets. Hossain said she purchased four of the Million Dollar Winner tickets. “That’s what I do all the time. I’m always thinking the next one on the roll is going to be the winner, so I always buy more than one ticket,” said Hossain.

She scratched the tickets right away in the store and scanned them in the self-check machine. That’s when she knew her Lottery strategy paid off when the machine displayed “big winner.”

Hossain called her husband immediately to tell him the good news, and she sent him a photo of the ticket. Hossain claimed her winning ticket on June 25 at the Lottery’s Fishkill Customer Service Center.

Hossain chose to receive her Lottery prize in one lump sum payment of $780,000, net $516,204 after required withholdings. Hossain said she has no immediate plans for her winnings other than to spend it on her family.

She is the 86th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $41,007,632.35 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Dutchess 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.