Two men visited New York Lottery headquarters to claim million-dollar prizes. One man matched five white balls on the Powerball, and another chose the right scratch-off to make him a millionaire.
Manuel Palaguachi of Hartsdale won $1 million after purchasing his ticket at Central Snack Mart located at 395 Central Ave. in White Plains. He matched the first five numbers in the historic July 19 Powerball drawing where someone from California won the $1.08 billion jackpot prize.
The winning numbers for that evening's drawing were 7, 10, 11, 13, 24; the Powerball number was 24.
After the necessary withholdings were calculated, Palaguachi was given a lump sum of $591,000 as payment.
Palaguachi claimed his prize on Thursday but wasn't the only one to do so. Abu Alam, from Woodside, New York used $5 to purchase the Bonus World Cashword instant game.
Alam scratched off 10 words on the card and won $1 million. He purchased his ticket at S Grocery in Jackson Heights.
"I felt like the King of Queens when I saw I won the game's top prize," Alam told the New York Lottery.
The New York Lottery is the largest and most profitable in North America, according to Lottery officials. It contributed $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2022-2023 to support public K-12 education in New York State.
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It's understandable that some lottery players are enticed by the whopping $70 million jackpot, but it's essential to keep in mind that the chances of winning Powerball's top prize are exceedingly slim.
To participate in the Powerball game, players can purchase a ticket for $2 per play. The game requires players to choose five numbers from one to 69 for the white balls, and one number from one to 26 for the red Powerball. Alternatively, players can opt to receive random numbers.
In order to win the jackpot, it is necessary to match the numbers for all of the five white balls and the red Powerball.
In addition to the grand prize, Powerball offers eight other ways to win based on the number of matched balls in the non-jackpot tiers.
The non-jackpot prizes offered range from $4 to $1 million. By paying an additional $1, you can choose to participate in "Powerplay" that increases non-jackpot winnings by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times.
According to Powerball, the 10X Powerplay option is exclusively applicable to jackpots worth $150 million or less. Additionally, the game's "Match 5" prize for the second-tier is limited to a maximum of $2 million if the Powerplay feature is utilized.
Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
