Sixty-one-year old Patricia Dioguardi of Rochester can thank a recent horoscope for changing her life forever. Dioguardi’s horoscope indicated that she would win something big, so she did what most people would do: she bought a New York Lottery ticket. The Wegmans employee of 27 years purchased a New York Poker scratch-off ticket prior to her shift and won the $1,000,000 top prize.

“My mother-in-law read the horoscope to me,” explained Dioguardi. “I came to work a little early that day so I could buy a Lottery ticket. I always play the New York Poker ticket so that’s the one I went with.”

Dioguardi scratched the ticket in the store and immediately knew she was a winner. “I knew right away that my flush beat the champion’s two pair,” she explained. “I thought maybe I would win a couple bucks, but when I saw the word ‘jackpot’ I was a wreck!”

Dioguardi purchased her ticket at the Wegmans on Ridge Road East in Rochester. She opted to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment and will receive a net check totaling $536,058 after required withholdings.

“I gave my boss my two weeks’ notice right after I scratched the ticket,” laughed Dioguardi. “I had planned on retiring next year, but this win moved up the date.”

In addition to an earlier-than-planned retirement, Diorguardi also booked a trip. “I’m going to Vegas! I haven’t been back there in a while so I’m excited to see how things have changed.”

Diorguardi is the 40th New York Lottery player to win a prize of $1,000,000 or more in 2017.

The New York Lottery contributed $168,309,595 in Lottery Aid to Education to school districts in Monroe County during fiscal year 2016-2017.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.27 billion in fiscal year 2016-2017 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents approximately 14 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.