The cold fall weather may be setting in across the Empire State, but winners of the New York Lottery are feeling as hot as ever after cashing in on big-money prizes.
The New York Lottery offers well-known games like the Powerball and the Mega Millions. But lottery-goers can also partake in Pick 10, which can turn a $1 wager into $500,000. And if you hit the jackpot in Cash4Life, you’ll earn $1,000 a day for life and the consolation prize is $1,000 a week for life.
Here are some of the players who recently hit it big thanks to the New York Lottery:
Queens man wins $3 million from a NY Lottery scratch-off
Michael Bhajan, who lives in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, claimed a $3 million prize for winning the New York Lottery’s Electric 10X scratch-off game. Here’s what Bhajan said about the life-changing winnings:
“Now I can do things I enjoy.”
Bhajan opted to take his winnings in a one-time lump sum payment of $1,573,457 after taxes. He purchased the ticket at AMR Deli & Grocery in Jamaica, Queens.
Two NY Lottery players strike it big with $1 million prizes
Robert Lawlor won the $1 million prize from the Bonus Words Cashword scratch-off game. The Latham resident opted to take a one-time payment of $651,000 after withholdings.
Lawlor bought the ticket from Stewart’s Shops in Latham.
If you’re in search of winning lottery tickets, Queens may be the place to buy your slips from. Another Queens resident won $1 million from the New York Lottery’s Lucky Dog game.
Michael Spivey bought the golden ticket at Associated Supermarket in the Jamaica neighborhood. After required withholdings, Spivey brought home $526,526 as he opted for a single lump sum payout.
Powerball, Mega Millions hand out prizes
Carlos Moran Jr. lucked out in the June 13 Powerball drawing by matching the first five numbers from the contest. Moran Jr.’s lucky numbers were 02-27-42-44-51.
Moran Jr. held his winning ticket for a few weeks before claiming his single lump sum payment of $651,000 on Aug. 31. He had this to say about his big winnings:
“This is truly a blessing.”
Moran Jr. bought his Powerball ticket from Deer Hills Service LLC in Deer Park.
In the fiscal year 2021-2022, the New York Powerball brought in $358,376,004 in sales. During that same period, school districts across Suffolk County received $270,015,864 in Lottery Aid to Education funds, according to the New York Lottery.
Genesee County resident Michael Dillon also won $1 million, his for matching the first five numbers from the July 8 Mega Millions drawing. Dillon waited until just recently to claim his winnings.
Dillon’s lucky numbers were 20-36-61-62-69. He opted to take his winnings as a lump sum of $649,482 after taxes.
The lucky store that sold Dillon the ticket was Crosby’s in Elba.
$2 million ticket remains unclaimed
A Mega Millions ticket worth $2 million was sold at Smokes 4 Less in Newburgh, but the lucky person who purchased the slip hasn’t come forward to claim the prize.
The ticket was for the Sept. 2 Mega Millions drawing, and the numbers were 39-40-52-60-67 and the Megaball was 20. The prize winner only matched the first five numbers of the sequence, but that still cashes out as a $1 million prize.
The New York Lottery also announced whoever purchased the ticket added a $1 Megaplier, which added some extra juice to the total winnings.
