FISHKILL, N.Y. – The New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega today presented oversized prize checks totaling $2,000,000 to a gas station attendant from Somers who matched the first five numbers drawn in the May 4 Powerball drawing, and a pair from Middletown who did the same for the Powerball drawing held on May 11.

 Somers Gas Attendant Turned Lottery Millionaire: “New York is a Magic Place”

 Twenty-five-year-old Darwin Morales of Somers, Westchester County claimed his $1,000,000 Powerball second prize from the drawing held on May 4. Morales bought his ticket on the day of the drawing at the gas station where he works as an attendant. He said his sudden change of fortune began with a chance encounter with a coworker. 

 “I got off work and was talking with another attendant about how big the jackpot was for that night and it reminded me to play,” he said. The Powerball jackpot for the May 4 drawing was $193,000,000. Morales said he only plays the Lottery when a jackpot gets over $80,000,000.

 “I got a $20 tip from a customer that day,” he said. “I spent $14 of it on my Powerball ticket.”  Morales said he usually never spends more than $12 on a single ticket. “It was a tip, so I spent more.” Morales won his $1,000,000 prize on the third of seven sets of Quick Pick numbers printed on his ticket.

 The winning numbers for the May 4 Powerball drawing were 7 12 26 36 40 and Powerball 17.

 The Guatemala native said he never bothered to check his winning numbers until he reported for work the following week at another gas station owned by his employer. “I was drinking my coffee when I heard some people talking about a winning Powerball ticket sold at the other station,” recalled Morales. “I remembered I still had my ticket in my wallet. I checked and sure enough!” Morales claimed his $1,000,000 winning ticket the same day.

 Morales moved to New York from Guatemala seven years ago to be near family. The new Lottery millionaire said his luck and his life have changed dramatically in a very short time.

 “My town in Guatemala is so small it doesn’t even have a name,” he said. “There are 17 houses in my town, that’s it,” he laughed, adding, “I moved here because my family is here. New York is a magic place for a lot of people.”

 Morales will receive his $1,000,000 prize in a single net payment totaling $611,800. He purchased his winning ticket at Bedford Shell at 848 South Bedford St. in Bedford.

 The New York Lottery contributed $70,858,076.81in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Westchester County during fiscal year 2012-13.

Pair from Middletown Split $1,000,000 Second Prize from May 11 Powerball Drawing

There were 16 second-prize winning tickets sold nationwide for the May 11 Powerball drawing for a jackpot worth $279,000,000. Forty-six-year-old James Begala of Middletown purchased one of the coveted tickets at the Shoprite at 125 Dolson Avenue in Middletown the day before the drawing.  His rationale for spending $2 for a single set of Quick Pick numbers? “I always play when (the jackpot) gets over $100,000,000,” he reasoned.

Begala, who works as an inventory analyst in New Jersey, said he checked his winning numbers on the Lottery’s Web site (nylottery.ny.gov) the day after the drawing and checked off the first five numbers, making him an overnight millionaire. “I was in shock,” he said. “I couldn’t believe the numbers or the prize amount.”

The winning numbers for the May 11 Powerball drawing were 6 13 19 23 43 Powerball (16).

Begala claimed his prize the following week and opted to split it 50/50 with long-time friend Perry Gower, also of Middletown. Gower, 52, is employed as an accountant in Pennsylvania. 

Begala and Gower will each receive a one-time net check totaling $330,900.

As for how each winner plans to spend his respective share of the prize, Begala said he’s thinking ahead. “I want to fill the oil tank for the winter.” Both winners say they plan to help family and “share the wealth.”

The New York Lottery contributed $76,833,349.97 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts throughout Orange County 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.