Schenectady, NY – Thirty-two-year-old Charlene Gould of Baldwinsville calls the local VFW Hall 153 a home away from home. So it’s no surprise the 4th of July holiday holds a special place in her heart, now more than ever. Charlene is Onondaga County’s latest millionaire, winning the top prize of $1,000,000 on the instant game scratch off ticket New York Poker.

“I was shocked when I saw the word “Jackpot”,” said Gould. “We play poker with friends and family all the time so I knew instantly that I had won!”

Gould and her high school sweetheart turned husband, Scott, scratched the winning ticket together. “We always buy a couple tickets here and there and scratch them together for fun.” “Let’s just say there will be more celebratory fireworks this year,” joked Gould, who collected the prize just before the holiday weekend.

Gould is the first Lottery millionaire from Onondaga County this year. The largest Onondaga county Lottery prize was awarded to Adam Schultz of Syracuse after he hit a $10,000,000 Lotto jackpot in 2000.

Gould, who works as a hair dresser at Super Cuts in Syracuse has some specific plans for her newfound wealth. “Given the price of gas these days we are looking to buy a more efficient vehicle, possibly a Ford Escape hybrid.” The happily married couple also plans to build the house of their dreams. “We have a friend in the construction business and hope to have everything wrapped up in two years.”

Gould purchased her lucky ticket on June 8, 2008 at the Sunoco A-Plus Gas Station in Baldwinsville. She claimed her $1,000,000 winner at the Lottery’s Syracuse Customer Service Center on June 9, 2008.

She will receive annual payments of $50,000 each, less required tax withholdings. Her annual net check will total $34,075.

The New York Lottery contributed nearly $2.6 billion to help support education in New York State on revenues of $7.549 billion in fiscal year 2007-08 - - a profit margin of 34.3%. Last year, the Lottery’s earnings accounted for over 13% of total state education funding. The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, earning over $34.2 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago.