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Schenectady – Jason Wheeler was all fired up when he scratched off the winning number for the jackpot prize on one of the New York Lottery’s newest Instant game tickets, Red Hot Million, making him the first New York Lottery millionaire from the town of Marcy, ever!
The 27 year old Wheeler said he purchased the flame-themed ticket because it caught his eye in the display case when he stopped in on one of his nightly visits to his local Fastrac store. He knew he was a $1 million winner as soon as he scratched it off, but had the store clerk verify the ticket just to be sure. His father had a much more difficult time believing the news, asking Jason to swear on his mother that he wasn’t just pulling their legs.
Wheeler works as a part-time car salesman at his friend’s dealership, but he said this windfall will definitely make his life a lot easier, even though he doesn’t anticipate any big changes to his current lifestyle.
Wheeler purchased the winning Red Hot Million Instant ticket at Fastrac located at 384 N. Genesee St. in Utica just one day after it was launched. The flame-themed ticket offers players 10 chances to win up to $1 million. Wheeler will receive his $1 million prize in 20 annual payments of $50,000, less required tax withholdings. He is the 9th New York Lottery millionaire of 2006 and the 1st Oneida County millionaire this year.
The New York Lottery, the largest lottery in the country and the sixth largest in the world, has generated more than $27 billion in revenue to help support education in New York State, including a record $2.06 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. |
