For Immediate Release:                                         Contact: Communications Office

September 18, 2014                                                              (518) 388-3415

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BUFFALO, N.Y. – Ray Salada, 56, of Fillmore, won the last top prize of $7,500,000 on the New York Lottery’s Silver Spectacular scratch-off game.

Salada is self-employed with a small service shop. On August 13 on his way home from work, he stopped at the Hanson Farms at 10 West Main Street in Fillmore to buy a lottery ticket. Salada said he picked the Silver Spectacular game because “It seems to have a lot of winners and is a better game.”

Salada scratched the ticket in the store and knew right away that he had won, but he didn’t know how much. Then he checked his ticket in the Lottery ticket checker machine and the display read “Big Winner,” and that’s when he knew he was a new Lottery millionaire. Salada said he just kept staring at the ticket and felt “dazed.”

When he got home, Salada signed the back of the ticket, put it in a firebox, and hid the key. Then he went into the kitchen to tell his wife the good news. Salada said, “Our lives are going to change. I just hit the lottery for seven and a half million dollars.” Salada said his wife didn’t believe him. So he showed her the ticket, but she was still skeptical.

Salada said he couldn’t sleep at all that night and went to the Lottery’s Buffalo Customer Service Center the next day to claim the ticket.

Salada will receive his Lottery prize as a one-time lump sum payment. He will receive a net check totaling $4,963,500 after required withholdings.

Salada said he has met with financial advisors and is going to invest his Lottery prize for his children’s education. Salada said, “It is a big relief knowing that I can help my kids now.”

He is the 108th New Yorker to claim a New York Lottery prize of $1,000,000 or more so far this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $13,265,253.39 in Lottery Aid To Education to school districts in Allegany County during fiscal year 2013-2014.

About the New York Lottery

The New York 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. 

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.