Sidney man wins $1 million top prize on New York Lottery’s Holiday-Themed Merry Millionaire scratch-off ticket

Self-employed carpenter Donald Savastano of Sidney is Delaware County’s newest Lottery millionaire. Savastano was driving home from work when he stopped at the Mirabito at 15503 State Route 8 in Masonville to purchase some Lottery tickets.

“I buy scratch-off tickets pretty regularly but I don’t normally play the holiday tickets,” said the 51-year old. “I saw the Merry Millionaire ticket and figured, ‘Why not?’”

Savastano walked out of the store and scratched the ticket on his way to the car. “I couldn’t believe it! I brought it back in and scanned it under the ticket checker and knew it was a winner.”

Savastano’s good fortune happened on a Saturday, so he couldn’t claim his prize until the Lottery office opened on Monday. “I kept it under wraps over the weekend, but I did take it out a few times to convince myself it was real.”

The $1,000,000 top prize on the Merry Millionaire ticket is paid out as a one-time lump sum payment. Savastano will receive a net check totaling $661,800 after required withholdings.

 “Being a self-employed carpenter, I didn’t really have a plan for retirement,” he explained. “The money will help with that. I don’t have any other extravagant plans. I’ll buy a new truck, pay off some debt and invest for the future.”

Savastano is the 97th New York Lottery player to claim a prize totaling $1,000,000 or more this year.

The New York Lottery contributed $6,998,933 in Lottery Aid to Education to school districts in Delaware County during fiscal year 2016-2017.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery, contributing $3.27 billion in fiscal year 2016-2017 to help support education in New York State. The Lottery’s contribution represents approximately 14 percent of total state education aid to local school districts.

New York Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education. It takes into account both a school district’s size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of Lottery school funding.