Lucky Lottery Winners Living in Central New York

They say you need to play to win and many have tried all across Central New York. The most I've scored playing the Powerball was $20, but at least it was more than I invested.

The current Powerball jackpot is one of the top ten largest in game history. Saturday's jackpot is estimated at $856 million with a cash value of $372 million.

So, are you feeling lucky?

Luck of the Draw

Over the years there have been many big money winners right in our own backyard.

Leonard and Lorraine Padavan (Blossvale)
- Prize: $96 million Mega Millions jackpot (Feb 16, 2021)
- Location Bought: Kinney Drugs, Camden
- Payout: A lump sum of $23 million each after taxes
Mike Shephard (Utica)
- Prize: $5 million top prize on a scratch-off (Apr 2019)
- Location Bought: Price Chopper on Genesee Street in Utica
James Murphy (Remsen)
- Prize: $1 million top prize on a scratch-off (2023)
- Location Bought: Nice N Easy, Barneveld
Melanie Flynn (Chadwicks)
- Prize: $1 million jackpot on a scratch-off
- Location Bought: Mirabito on Oneida Street in Chadwicks
- Payout: A one-time lump sum of $550,876 after taxes

Albert Kiss (Old Forge)
- Prize: $5,000-a-week-for-life top prize ($5 million minimum payout) on the "Set For Life" scratch-off (April 2023)
- Location Bought: Haver's Nice N Easy in Barneveld
- Payout: A single lump sum payment of $2,373,193 after taxes
Sharon Kinney (Herkimer)
- Prize: $1,000,000 jackpot on a scratch-off game (May 2014)
- Location Bought: Smoker Friendly, North Main Street in Herkimer
- Details: A lump sum of $502,968 after taxes

Decisions, Decisions

If you were to win big, would you still work? Personally, and I may be on an island alone, I'd keep working. But I'd stay pretty quiet about it too. Experts say you should do the following: