Amherst retiree’s persistence pays off with $1,000,000 win

Drawing Date: 6/2/2015

July 23, 2015 - Janice Rovner of Amherst, N.Y., has been playing the same New York Lottery numbers for more than 20 years. Her persistence finally paid off on June 2, 2015 when she won $1,000,000 on the Mega Millions game.

On May 30, Rovner, a retired local school district employee, was out with a friend visiting garage sales. Afterward, her friend stopped at Dash’s Market at 499 West Klein Road in Williamsville, and Rovner decided to buy her ticket for the next Mega Millions drawing on June 2.

Rovner said, “I have been playing the same Lottery numbers for more than 20 years. They are all very significant related to my children and family.”

The day after the Mega Millions drawing, Rovner was talking to another friend of hers who told her that a winning Mega Millions ticket was sold at Dash’s Market.

Rovner said, “I thought to myself ‘I bought a ticket there.’ So when I got home, I checked the Lottery’s Web site and saw that five of the numbers matched up. At that point, I knew I had won something, but did not know it was a million dollars.”

Rovner said she just kept looking at the numbers and then looking at her ticket and kept thinking to herself, ‘This can’t be.’ Then she called her daughter who didn’t believe what her Mom was saying. Rovner said, “She thought I was playing a joke on her.” Then Rovner called her son, who said he didn’t believe it either.

Rovner said she is still in shock even after coming to the Lottery’s Buffalo Customer Service Center to claim the prize. “I’m still having a hard time believing that this is true,” she said.

Rovner will receive her prize in one lump sum payment of $661,800 after required withholdings. As for her plans for the prize money, Rovner said, “I’m not sure yet. I never thought I would win big, but it will definitely help me to enjoy my retirement.”