For Immediate Release:                                        Contact:  Communications Office

September 26, 2013                                                                  (518) 388-3415

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – New York Lottery spokesperson Yolanda Vega and Lottery representative Jenny Garcia today introduced six new Lottery millionaires from Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island. The lucky Lottery players won their prizes on Powerball drawings and scratch-offs games, including two Win For Life winners.

Manhattan Man Wins for Life

George Varona, 54, of Manhattan won a top prize on the Win $1,000 a Week for Life scratch-off game.

Varona said that the Win $1,000 a Week for Life ticket is the only scratch-off game he plays.  He has played it since the game came out and has continued playing it over the years because he knew one day he would hit the jackpot.

Varona decided to take a walk to Broadway Deli Grocery at 3660 Broadway in Manhattan on Thursday, August 29 to buy two Win $1,000 a Week For Life tickets.  He said he brought the tickets home and was in shock when her scratched off three ‘LIFE’ symbols. Varona said he couldn’t believe that he finally hit the jackpot. 

Varona claimed his winning ticket the next day at the Lottery’s New York City Customer Service Center. 

Varona is guaranteed to receive a minimum payout of $1,000,000 over the next 20 years. Once the $1,000,000 prize has been realized, he will continue to receive an annual check for $52,000 (net $32,398) a year for life. Varona explained that he has so many ideas on how to spend his winnings that he doesn’t know where to start.

A Trip to Visit His Mother Wins Brooklyn Man a $1,000,000 Prize

Jewdyer Osborne of Brooklyn won a top prize on the Win $1,000 a Week for Life scratch-off game while visiting family upstate.

Osborne, 38, was visiting his mother in Binghamton when he went to the Mighty Mart gas station at 215 Clinton Street to fill up his mother’s car.  He said he hadn’t played the Win $1,000 a Week for Life scratch-off game in almost a year and a half, so he decided to purchase five tickets.  He brought them back to his mother’s house and scratched the first four tickets that turned out to be “duds.” 

Osborne scratched the final ticket and saw two ‘LIFE’ symbols and thought to himself “I’ve seen this before.”  When he scratched the third ‘LIFE’ symbol, he was in shock and didn’t believe it was real. 

Osborne moved to Brooklyn after finishing his master’s degree and has worked as a social worker for the past seven years.  He opted to take his prize as a one-time lump sum of $774,522 (net $482,558). Osborne plans to invest his winnings “to make the money work for me.”

Staten Island Powerball Player Wins $1,000,000 Second Prize

Henry Bennudriti, 65, of Staten Island won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the September 14 drawing. He claimed his ticket at the Lottery’s New York City Customer Service Center on September 17.

Bennundriti and his wife play jackpot games weekly. The morning of the 14th, Bennundriti’s wife was out getting bagels and decided to stop at the Zaxco at 1180 Forest Avenue in Staten Island to purchase a Powerball Quick Pick because the jackpot was high. “When it’s up there, you might as well give it a shot. What do you have to lose?” Bennundriti explained.

The next morning, Bennundriti was sitting in church when his phone went off. His wife told him that they had matched five out of six numbers on their Powerball ticket. “I’m a calm guy. I just went back to paying attention to church, but my wife was shaking so much she couldn’t drive to church that day.”

Bennundriti, a retired electrician, said their three children are very excited for them. “They said ‘you struggled your whole life, it’s great you guys won.’”

Bennundriti will receive a one-time lump sum totaling $623,040 after required withholdings. He plans to use his lottery prize to pay bills, fix up his house and possibly take an Alaskan cruise.

Long Time Lottery Player Wins $1,000,000 Prize

Alonso Fernandez, 80, of Brooklyn won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the September 14 drawing.

Fernandez plays the Lottery every day.  He said he has played for 40 years and considers it his “hobby.” 

The day of the Powerball drawing, Fernandez followed his normal routine.  He went to the local senior citizens center in the morning and then took a walk around a park nearby. His last stop of the day was at C & J Stationery at 209 Prospect Park West in Brooklyn where he purchased his Powerball tickets.

The next morning, Fernandez heard that there was a Powerball winner in Brooklyn.  He took his ticket to the retailer where he bought it to check it.  That’s when he knew he was a Lottery winner. Fernandez said he was “very happy, thrilled and excited, but still in disbelief.” 

Fernandez will receive his Powerball prize as a lump sum totaling $623,040 after required withholdings. He said he is somewhat unsure of his plans for the money, but he would like to make some investments and take care of his family with his Lottery prize. 

Dedicated Powerball Player Finally Gets His Big Check

Olin Lyles of Brooklyn won a $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the August 7 drawing.

Lyles, 83, is a dedicated Powerball player.  His daughter brought over a print out of the results the day after the drawing so he could check his tickets. At first, Lyles thought he won $100,000, but his daughter took a closer look and told him he had actually won $1,000,000.  All he said to her was “even better.” 

Lyles signed his ticket, sealed it in an envelope and put it in his safe until he could claim his prize at the Lottery’s Garden City Customer Service Center on September 13. 

Lyles, a retired stationery handler, will receive a one-time lump sum totaling $623,040 after required withholdings. He said he’s not sure what his plans are just yet for the money.  “Once I get it, then I’ll decide how I will spend it,” he said.

The winning ticket was purchased at the Classon Finest Deli at 667 Classon Avenue in Brooklyn.

Pay Me Scratch-off Player gets $1,000,000 Pay Day

Forty-year-old Salome Fuentes Pinzon of Staten Island won a $1,000,000 top prize on the Pay Me scratch-off game.  She claimed her winning ticket on Wednesday, September 11 at the New York City Customer Service Center. 

Pinzon speaks Spanish. She explained through an interpreter that she chose this particular game because she likes to try the new games when they come out, and she saw the commercial for it on television. 

Pinzon chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum of $830,000 (net $517,123).  Pinzon said she’s still in shock over her win and plans to pay off all of her debt and then buy a house with her Lottery prize.  The mother of three plans to keep working for a house cleaning company. 

The winning ticket was purchased at Deli on the Block at 172 South Avenue in Staten Island.

The New York Lottery contributed $1,200,599,252.62 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout the five boroughs during fiscal year 2012-2013. 

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.