East Syracuse, NY -- A 57-year-old AXA business analyst has hit the $1 million top prize on a Powerball instant ticket, the New York State Lottery announced this afternoon. Maryann Paciotti of East Syracuse, a senior business analyst, bought the $1 million ticket from the Red Apple/Kwik Fill on Manlius Center Road in East Syracuse on her way to work...
East Syracuse, NY -- A 57-year-old AXA business analyst has hit the $1 million top prize on a Powerball instant ticket, the New York State Lottery announced this afternoon.
Maryann Paciotti of East Syracuse, a senior business analyst, bought the $1 million ticket from the Red Apple/Kwik Fill on Manlius Center Road in East Syracuse on her way to work on Oct. 12.
Lottery presenter Gretchen Dizer presented Paciotti with a large check symbolizing her winnings this afternoon at the gas station where she bought the ticket.
“I bought the ticket along with a cup of coffee and decided to scratch it when I got into my car,” she said in a press release. “I scratched the coin symbol with the word “jackpot” underneath and I froze. I just kept reading and re-reading the rules because I could just not believe it was happening to me.”
Paciotti drove to her sister’s house to get a second opinion before claiming her prize the same day at the Lottery’s Customer Service Center in Syracuse.
The $1 million prize will be paid out at a rate of $50,000 a year for 20 years. After taxes, the annual net check will be $33,015.
Paciotti said she plans to fix up the house, help her family and take a vacation that’s a little more exotic than she’s used to.
The odds of winning the top prize in the Powerball scratch off game is 1 in 2.6 million.