SPRING VALLEY, N.Y. – The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega today presented a $1,000,000 ceremonial prize check to a Monsey, Rockland County resident where he purchased his winning Cash Blast scratch-off, Open Every Day Convenience on South Main Street in Spring Valley.

Victor Manuel Sandoval Ordonez, 26, a baker, explained that he always buys a couple of scratch-offs after work on Fridays. He said he picked the Cash Blast ticket because he had never played that game before and thought “why not?” Ordonez scratched the ticket in the store and couldn’t speak when he realized he hit the jackpot.  He signed the ticket immediately and left it with a close friend until he could claim his prize at the Lottery’s New York City Customer Service Center on April 2. 

The $1,000,000 top prize on the Cash Blast scratch-off game is designed to be paid as an annuity. Ordonez took advantage of a new Lottery payment option available to scratch-off game winners and chose to receive his jackpot prize in one lump sum instead of 20 annual payments. He will receive his prize as a one-time payment totaling $800,000 (net $489,440). He plans to invest a portion of his winnings and use the rest to help out his friends and family. 

The New York Lottery contributed $25,667,967.26 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Rockland County during fiscal year 2012-13.

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.