December 16, 2013                                                                                          Contact: (518) 388-3415

 A Dozen New York Lottery Players Are Holding Unclaimed Jackpot Tickets Sold in the NYC Metro Region That Are In Danger Of Expiring

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – New York State is undertaking a massive search for 12 “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 will be at Star Wines and Liquors in Monroe on Thursday, December 19 at 1:30 p.m. seeking the owner of an unclaimed $1 million Powerball winning ticket that expires on January 5, 2014.

There are currently 11 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.”

“A lucky individual’s holiday season could be vastly improved – and they don’t know it yet,” said Gardner Gurney, Acting Director of the Division of the Lottery. “Yolanda and Gretchen are taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to find these ‘Missing Millionaires,’ going directly to the ‘scene of the sale’ in hopes of locating the currently unknown individual.”

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 16, 2013 Powerball drawing, $130.3 million prize, sold at Brighton Beach Bakery, 117 Brighton Beach Ave., 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 9, 2013 Sweet Million drawing, $1 million prize, sold at Accent Lobby Store, 260 Reckson Plaza, Uniondale, Nassau County

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. The event is open to the public.

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.