Two NNY lottery winners still stunned at presentation

OGDENSBURG — Both said they needed a minute to understand the magnitude of what was in their hands — a winning $3 million instant scratch-off lottery ticket.

Once the initial disbelief wore off, Peter A. LaPoint of Massena and Gail D. Gray of Redwood realized their lives were about to change. New York Lottery personality Yolanda Vega presented each with a large cardboard $3 million check in a ceremony Wednesday at the Freight House.

"Nothing is going to change, just a lot has been lifted off my shoulders," said Mr. LaPoint, a 37-year-old grocery supervisor at First Americans IGA supermarket on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation.

He won $264 at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino and decided to push his luck on the way home April 22. He bought two $10 Millionaire's Club instant scratch-off lottery tickets at Kinney Drugs on North Main Street, Massena.

The first ticket he scratched proved to be lucky; with the odds of winning the top prize about 1 in 3.97 million. The biggest lottery jackpot he won previously was $75.

"I had to look at the ticket four or five times," said Mr. LaPoint, an avid bowler and New York Yankees fan. "I didn't believe what was in my hand. I had to take it to my in-laws' house to have them look at it to believe it was real."

He plans to buy his family a larger home, complete with a swimming pool for his two children, a spacious yard and a large basement. He didn't know whether a bowling alley would be included in the new home.

"I haven't really thought about that," said Mr. LaPoint, who bowled a perfect 300 game in 1998. "That's a pretty good idea."

Mr. LaPoint, who is married to Tammy L., is the sixth St. Lawrence County resident since 1967 to become a millionaire playing the New York Lottery. Hermon resident Nancy J. Grimshaw won $5 million on a instant scratch-off ticket in 2003.

Mrs. Gray became the ninth Jefferson County resident to become a lottery millionaire. Garry T. McGivney of Watertown was the county's largest winner with $56 million in 2005.

The 58-year-old mother of five stopped April 29 at Mall Liquor store on Route 12 in Alexandria Bay to buy her regular Royal Riches scratch-off tickets. But the store didn't have any Royal Riches game tickets, so she bought a $10 New York Millions game ticket. The odds of winning the top prize is about 1 in 3.73 million.

"I decided to try a different ticket, and it worked out," said Mrs. Gray, who won $1,000 while playing a Maine lottery game several years ago. "We're still stunned over it."

She and her husband, George A., might look at buying a larger home in the area and do some traveling, "but we haven't made any big plans yet."

Both winners will receive their winnings in $150,000 increments annually over 20 years. After taxes, the yearly checks will be $102,225.