Schenectady, NY – Fifty-two-year-old Patricia (Patti) Parsons wanted to get her husband, Daniel, a last-minute gift for their 17th wedding anniversary. While shopping at her local Hannaford, she decided to get him a Win for Life Spectacular instant ticket from the New York Lottery. Parson’s gift turned out to be the gift of a lifetime when her husband scratched the ticket to reveal it was a top prize winner worth at least $10,000,000.

“I was picking up a few things at the store on the day of our anniversary and wanted to buy a fun present for Dan,” said the mother of one. “I saw the Win for Life Spectacular ticket and said, ‘That’s perfect.’”

Dan, a car salesman for Capital Cities Imported Cars, scratched the winning ticket at home later that day and immediately knew he was a winner. When he told Patti they had just become instant millionaires she started jumping up and down and screaming.

“I was so excited I couldn’t contain myself,” said Parsons, an Administrative Assistant for the Commissioner of Albany County Department of General Services. “The ironic part of all of this is the number we matched, 17, is also our anniversary date as well as the day I bought the ticket. I sure know what my lucky number is now!”

Patti purchased their winning ticket at the Hannaford on Delaware Avenue in Elsmere on Saturday, January 17, 2009. They claimed their winnings on Tuesday, January 20th, at the Lottery Customer Service Center in Schenectady.

The couple opted to split the prize evenly with each receiving an initial payment of $80,000 or $54,520 after required tax withholdings. Subsequent quarterly payments for each will total $65,000 ($47,297 net) for a guaranteed minimum of 20 years.

The Parsons plan to pay off some bills, save for their daughter’s college education and plan for a much-needed trip or two. “We’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii and Europe. Now we can do both!” said Dan.