December 19, 2013                                                                                 Contact: (518) 388-3415

MONROE, N.Y. – The New York State Lottery’s Yolanda Vega and Gretchen Dizer today kicked off a massive search for 13 “Missing Millionaires” in the New York City Metro Region, starting with one who purchased a Lottery ticket in Monroe, Orange County.

The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega and Gretchen Dizer visited Star Wines and Liquors in Monroe today seeking the owner of an unclaimed $1 million Powerball winning ticket that expires on January 5, 2014. The winning ticket matched five of the six numbers from the January 5, 2013 Powerball drawing: 26 – 30 – 49 – 51 – 54, missing only the Powerball number of 25.

There are currently 12 other New York Lottery draw game players holding unclaimed jackpot tickets of $1 million or more that will expire in 2014. Over the next few months, Yolanda and Gretchen will visit the retail locations in and around New York City where other unclaimed winning tickets were sold in an attempt to find these “Missing Millionaires.”

“Somewhere in the Orange County is a ‘Missing Millionaire’ and we’re getting the word out that there’s only a couple of weeks left before the prize expires,” said Yolanda Vega. “Maybe someone forgot they purchased a ticket or they simply discounted it because it wasn’t a jackpot winner. Either way, one million dollars is life-changing money, and we want to help find these winners before it’s too late.”

The Lottery encourages everyone who bought a New York Lottery draw game ticket, to check their old tickets again, as they could be holding a jackpot winner. Unclaimed tickets expire one year after the game’s drawing.

Here are the details for the unclaimed New York Lottery draw game tickets worth $1 million or more:

• January 5, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Star Wines and Liquors, 475 Route 17M, Monroe, Orange County
• January 24, 2013 Sweet Million drawing, $1 million prize, sold at M & M Super Shoppe, 104 Lafayette Ave., Suffern, Rockland County
• February 2, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at C & C Discount, 221 East 167^th Street, Bronx
• May 11, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Shop Smart, 238 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn
• May 15, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Thriftway Church Ave. Drug, 1621 Church Ave., Brooklyn
• July 13, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, Carry-All Wine & Liquor, 5507 Nesconset Highway, Mount Sinai, Suffolk County
• September 18, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Royal Wine and Spirits, 2223 Avenue U, Brooklyn
• November 22, 2013 Mega Millions drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Boutique Bon Bon Inc., 1445A Richmond Ave., Staten Island
• November 23, 2013 Lotto drawing, $3.2 million prize, sold at A & H Becker, Inc., 60-37 Myrtle Ave., Ridgewood, Queens
• November 26, 2013 Mega Millions drawing, $1 million prize, sold at 7-Eleven, 311 Pond Path, East Setauket, Suffolk County
• December 11, 2013 Powerball drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Quick Mart, 38 N Middletown Road, Nanuet, Rockland County
• December 17, 2013 Mega Millions drawing $1 million prize, sold at Met Fresh Food Market, 1150-66 Woodycrest Avenue, Bronx
• December 17, 2013 Mega Millions drawing $1 million prize, sold at 68 Mei Mei Bakery, 7814 New Utrecht Avenue, Brooklyn

If a “Missing Millionaire” is located, they are urged to sign the back of their ticket and immediately contact the New York Lottery at 518-388-0563. The winner may claim the ticket at any one of the Lottery’s Customer Service Centers statewide, including the Fishkill office at Hudson Valley Towne Center, 18 Westage Business Center, Fishkill, NY 12524, the Manhattan office at 15 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004 and the Long Island office at 45 South Service Road, Plainview, NY 11803. To learn more about how to redeem a prize, click here.

As is always the case, in the event the prize is not claimed by the deadline, the prize money will be returned to the prize pool for future winners. It is used to subsidize prizes for jackpots, promotions and/or special one-time games.

Star Wines and Liquors is located at 475 Route 17M, in Monroe, Orange County. The deadline to claim that ticket is January 5, 2014.

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.