For Immediate Release:     April 9, 2013                                   

Contact:  Communications Office

(518) 388-3415

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 New York Lottery Introduces Winners of Two $1,000,000 Prizes in Westchester County

YONKERS, N.Y. – The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega today presented over-sized prize checks worth $2,000,000 to Lottery winners who purchased their tickets in Westchester County. Six long-time coworkers at Yonkers’ Micromold Engineered Plastics collectively won $1,000,000 from the March 23, 2013 Powerball drawing, and Christine Hinspeter of Stamford, Connecticut purchased a jackpot-winning 20X The Bucks scratch-off game in New Rochelle.

The ceremonial check presentations took place at Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway.

Persistence pays off for six machinists at Yonkers’ Micromold Engineered Plastics

Rafael Castillo, 57, of Yonkers; Humberto Campeche, 43, of Mamaroneck; Julio Sandoval, 41, of Yonkers; Angelito Cruz, 66, of Yonkers; Hermilo Garcia, 39, of New Rochelle; and Zah Tsung Da, 74, of Yonkers all work together as machinists at Micromold Engineered Plastics in Yonkers.

The group – some of which have played Lottery together for 25 years – has a longstanding practice where they each put in $5 per drawing and purchase tickets for the next upcoming jackpot game. Their persistence paid off big-time on March 23, 2013, when the group’s Quick Pick ticket was the sole New York-based $1 million winner in the night’s Powerball drawing.

Castillo purchased the group’s winning ticket at Odell Wine & Liquor on Odell Avenue in Yonkers during his lunch break the day before the drawing. After discovering they had a winning ticket, the group’s boss at Micromold was understandably concerned.

“He thought we were all going to leave at once,” said Castillo. “But we are all going to continue to work. The bills don’t stop coming just because you win the Lottery.”

In fact, the group is so dedicated to their coworkers, that they’re going to spring for lunch for everyone at the facility.

“There are some people who had a chance to go in but didn’t,” said Castillo. “We want to do something nice for everyone.”

The winners all plan to pay bills with their share of the $1,000,000 prize. Some are planning a vacation as well.

 “I’ll take the grandkids on a Disney Cruise,” said Castillo. “They’ll love me forever.”

The $1,000,000 prize, after being split six ways amongst the group and after withholdings, totals $110,299.66 each for Campeche and Garcia, and $108,094.66 each for Cruz, Castillo, Zah and Sandoval.

Lucky Connecticut woman purchases winning 20X The Bucks scratch-off in New Rochelle

Christine Hinspeter, 44, was visiting a friend in New Rochelle when she decided to purchase the scratch-off ticket that would change her life at Marina Deli on Pelham Road. At the store, Hinspeter, an avid Lottery player, initially won $25 on a scratch-off and then used the winnings to buy the 20X The Bucks ticket.

“So I buy this ticket and scratch it there and notice that I matched the 8s. I flipped it over, realized the jackpot prize was $1 million and ran out of the store like my clothes were on fire,” Hinspeter said.

She immediately called her friend, Helene, who recalled, “She sounded like ‘Rain Man.’ She kept repeating, ‘I won a million dollars. I won a million dollars.’”

The 20X The Bucks scratch-off prize is paid in 20 annual installments of $50,000 each. After withholdings, Hinspeter will receive 20 checks in the amount of $33,090.

Hinspeter, a New York native and current Treasury Analyst living in Stamford, has enjoyed repeated good luck with scratch-offs in Massachusetts and Connecticut, but never won nearly as much as her $1,000,000 windfall. She has no plans for the money as of yet. 

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing nearly $2.9 billion in fiscal year 2011-2012 to help support education in New York State.  The Lottery’s contribution represents nearly 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.

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