Schenectady – Central Park was sizzling today as the New York Lottery announced two new jackpot winners of more than $51 million at the Valentine’s Day hot spot, Tavern on the Green.

Thirty-one year old Lottery millionaire Jay Sung is single and looking for love! Money may not be able to buy him love, but Jay Sung of Flushing already has a whole ‘lotto’ heart – he plans to spend some of his fortune helping out his family members. Sung accepted his big check from New York Lottery Director Nancy Palumbo today for winning the $41 million Lotto jackpot prize for the January 18^th drawing. Eighteen is a good number for Sung - that was his age when he moved to New York from Taiwan to start a new life.

While Sung was all smiles collecting his big check, it was a bittersweet day for Bryan Panell without his wife and true love by his side. Separated from his sweetheart by circumstance today on his 17^th wedding anniversary due to a family illness, Panell expressed his love for wife Maria as he accepted his first check of many from the New York Lottery after winning $10,000 a week for the rest of his life.

Panell plans to share his prize with his wife, who he says he fell in love with at first sight. Panell is the first winner of several $10,000 a Week for Life top prizes available on the New York Lottery’s new and extremely popular $20 Instant ticket. Win For Life Spectacular is the New York Lottery’s 1^st $20 Instant ticket which was recently launched on January 25^th. Offering players 15 chances to win $10,000 a week for life, the ticket guarantees a minimum payout of $10 million to the lucky winner or his estate and can extend beyond that amount for Panell, who is only 44.

"The Win For Life Spectacular game, with a guaranteed minimum payout of $10 million, gives New Yorkers the opportunity to win the largest top prize ever offered on a New York Lottery scratch-off ticket," said Lottery Director Palumbo. "As with the New York Lottery’s other Win For Life games, the top prize can extend well beyond the guaranteed minimum payout amount – as long as the lucky winners keep living, the New York Lottery keeps paying."

Panell purchased his winning ticket at the Ruby Grocery located at 265 Lee Avenue in Brooklyn while visiting his mom. He will receive his $520,000 annual prize in quarterly payments of $130,000, before required tax withholdings. Overall odds of winning a prize on the new Win For Life Spectacular ticket are 1 in 3.31.

Sung, the first Lotto millionaire of 2006, purchased his winning Quick Pick LOTTO ticket at Quick Stop located at 60-08 Main Street in Flushing. He chose to receive the $41 million prize as a lump sum amount totaling $22,030,811 before required tax withholdings. The lump sum amount equals what it would cost the Lottery to finance the advertised jackpot over 26 years, the standard annuity period. The winning numbers for New York’s January 18^th LOTTO drawing were:

22 – 37 – 38 – 44 – 55 – 59 Bonus #16

Tavern on the Green General Manager Michael Desiderio presented both of the new millionaires with a gift certificate and invited them to come back and dine with their Valentines at another time. The morning announcement of the first two New York City area millionaires set the stage for the rest of the day as Tavern on the Green prepared for their famous Valentine’s Day dinner where couples compete for the chance to win a trip to Bermuda and the "International Love Fest." Dinner guests enjoying the exquisite Valentine’s Day fare will also receive a $2 Sweet Hearts Instant ticket, courtesy of the New York Lottery.

Since its inception in 1967, the New York Lottery has generated more than $28 billion in revenue to help support education statewide, including a record $2 billion in fiscal year 2004-2005 on revenues of $6.27 billion. For more information, contact the New York Lottery Press & Community Relations office at 518-388-3415 or email here.