West Seneca, N.Y. –John Stresing of West Seneca has claimed the $1,000 a day top prize for the February 2 CASH4LIFE drawing.

A retired steel worker and Vietnam veteran, Stresing said he was on his daily run of picking up the paper and Lottery tickets. “I’ve been playing CASH4LIFE since it came out and like to play the other draw games too.”

Stresing plays both quick pick and his own numbers, but won the jackpot with his own numbers, “I play my family’s birthdays. There are four of us so I play the number four too.”

Stresing said that he saw he had won the next day, “I saw the numbers scroll across the bottom of the television. I couldn’t believe I had won. It feels fabulous, subdued, relaxed and excited all in one.”

His plans for the money include paying off bills, making some home improvements and “having a nice life.”

The winning numbers for February 2 were 04-08-17-20-21 and Cash Ball 04.

Stresing opted to take the annuity payment and to split the prize with his son, John Stresing Jr. Each will receive annual payments of $182,500 (120,778 after taxes).

The winning ticket was purchased at Wegmans located at 370 Orchard Park Road in West Seneca, NY.

About the New York Lottery

The NY Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.17 billion in fiscal year 2013-2014 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents 15 percent of total state education aid to local school districts.

NY 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.