For Immediate Release:                                      Contact:  Communications Office

December 10, 2013                                                               (518) 388-3415

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The New York Lottery’s Gretchen Dizer today presented an over-sized prize check to a group of nine coworkers and friends who collectively won $1,000,000 from the October 26, 2013 Powerball drawing. The winners are from the Bronx and Staten Island. Six of the winners work together at Eger Health Care at 140 Meisner Avenue in Staten Island where the ceremonial check presentation took place.

The group of coworkers and friends has been playing the Lottery together for several years, and   Mauleen Gomez of Staten Island is responsible for purchasing the group’s Quick Pick tickets.  On October 24 Gomez went to her usual store, Manor Bagels at 931 Manor Road in Staten Island, to purchase the group’s ticket. “I chose Powerball that day because the jackpot was higher than the Mega Millions jackpot,” said Gomez.

Lucille White of Staten Island was the first one to realize the group had matched five out of the six numbers for the October 26 drawing. “At first I thought we had won $500,000, but then I checked and realized we had won $1,000,000,” said White.

Gomez said when they realized they had won a $1,000,000, “we all went numb” and everyone was extremely happy.

The coworkers and friends claimed their prize November 12 at the Lottery’s New York City Customer Service Center. The group will collectively split the $1,000,000 prize and each will receive $69,226 after required withholdings. Some of the group members’ plans for their portion of the winnings include paying bills, home improvements and making some investments for the future.

The group of nine consists of:

Annette Alexis of Staten Island

Mauleen Gomez of Staten Island

Stephany Marchese of Staten Island

Fatumata Massalee of Staten Island

Marva Prevost of the Bronx

Roseanne Pucciarelli of Staten Island

Linda Rizzo of Staten Island

Deborah Scalera of Staten Island

Lucille White of Staten Island

The winning numbers from the October 26 Powerball drawing were 04-06-34-49-56 Powerball 29.

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.