October 28, 2009 - Forty-year-old Mi Hyun Moon lived in Queens for over twenty years before moving to Pennsylvania in 2006. To this day she still travels back to her old neighborhood to visit with friends and family. Her September 14th visit will be one to remember. Moon purchased a ticket for the September 19th Lotto drawing and matched all six numbers netting her a $5,000,000 jackpot win.

"Over-joyed," was what came to mind for the soft-spoken South Korea native when asked what her first reaction was. "When I realized I had won all I could think to say was, 'Oh my God,'" explained Moon through a translator. "I come back to Queens to visit with family and friends once a month or so. This is one visit I will never forget!" Moon purchased her $5,000,000 winning Lotto ticket on September 14th at the Imperial Deli on 21st Street in Long Island City.

"To be honest I am still getting over the initial shock," said the mother of two. "I am still dreaming of all the things I can do with the money but one thing is for sure. The kids' college funds are paid for."

The winning numbers for the September 19th Lotto drawing were 9 22 43 47 51 and 53. Moon claimed her $5,000,000 winning ticket on October 8th at the Lottery's Customer Service Center in Lower Manhattan. She chose the lump sum payment option and will receive a one-time payment of $2,839,929 before taxes. Her net check will total $1,869,263 after federal and state withholdings.

The New York Lottery continues to be North America's largest and most profitable Lottery, earning more than $36.7 billion in education support statewide since its founding over 40 years ago. The Lottery contributed nearly $2.54 billion in fiscal year 2008-9 to help support education in New York State, which was over 12 percent of total state education funding to local school districts. The Lottery's ongoing commitment to education also includes the awarding of more than 1,100 Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Scholarships annually to high school students pursuing their higher education in New York State. Since 1999, the Lottery has awarded more than 11,500 scholarships representing a total commitment of almost $50 million.