For Immediate Release:                                      Contact:  Communications Office

March 25, 2014                                                                     (518) 388-3415

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OSWEGO, N.Y. – John Spotswood of Oswego recently celebrated his 50^th birthday with the usual flurry of phone calls and cards from family and friends. It wasn’t until the following day that the nuclear power plant technician opened a card from his sister and realized what a life changing experience some birthdays can be. 

“My sister left a birthday card with three scratch-offs in it and a cheesecake in the mailbox,” said the instrument control tech. “I won $25 on the first ticket. The winning Jumbo Bucks ticket was the last one I scratched.”

Spotswood scratched the $5 Lottery ticket and revealed an “Autowin” coin symbol with the word “Jackpot” printed beneath; making him $1,000,000 richer in an instant. Spotswood, who said he buys his own Lottery scratch-off tickets “about four or five times a month” with moderate success said he needed someone else to tell him if what he was seeing was real. “I brought the ticket upstairs to have my girlfriend verify it,” he said. “And then I treated everyone to breakfast.”

The $1,000,000 top prize on the Jumbo Bucks ticket is designed to be paid out in 20 annual installments; however, Spotswood opted to take the cash value of the annuity prize. As a result, he will receive a one-time payment of $840,000 (net $555,912). Spotswood said he planned to save a portion of his windfall to secure his retirement. Other plans for the money include buying a new car and taking a riverboat cruise.

Spotswood’s winning ticket was purchased at KTM Mini Mart at 2203 County Route 1 in Oswego.

Spotswood is the 12^th Oswego County Lottery player to win a top prize of $1,000,000 or more. Other recent winners include Debra Noyes of Fulton who won $1,000,000 on the Silver 6’s scratch-off game in 2010 and Charlene Hopkins of Palermo who won $1,000,000 on the New York Poker scratch-off game in 2010.

The New York Lottery contributed $33,812,247.07 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Oswego 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.