Truxton man wins $1M in lottery scratch-off game

TRUXTON, N.Y. – A Cortland County man has claimed the first of four $1 million top prizes in a New York lottery scratch-off game.

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Donald McCall, 74, who is also the historian for the town of Truxton, had a modest reaction to his victory.

"I have no idea what I'm gonna do with it," McCall said in a brief phone interview Thursday. "Lord knows I got enough family."

McCall purchased the winning ticket at Kinney Drugs on Route 11 in Tully, according to a press release Thursday from the New York State Gaming Commission. He was presented with an over-sized check at the drug store Thursday morning.

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Photo provided.

“I rarely play Lottery games, but if I do, it’s always a $1 game," McCall is quoted as saying in the press release. "On this day, I was standing at the counter in Kinney Drugs and the sun was shining on this ticket. I liked the idea of getting an extra chance to win so I asked for two. When the clerk handed them to me and said it was $10 I almost gave them back, but I thought that might be a real hassle for the clerk, so I kept them.”

After scratching off an automatic win symbol on the ticket, McCall saw the word "Jackpot" printed beneath.

"I kept saying, 'this can't be right' and almost threw it away, but decided to take it home instead," McCall said.

McCall later claimed his ticket in Syracuse. He reportedly plans to use the money to give back to the Truxton community.

“When I was growing up, there was a carillon in the church, but that stopped many years ago. I would like to bring that back because I miss it. The community misses it.”

His lump sum prize is is $790,000. He'll receive $522,000 after taxes.

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