Thursday was the big day for the area’s newest millionaire, 51-year-old Richard Gusefski of Endicott. Gusefksi received his $1 million prize from the New York Lottery after he bought a winning Mega Millions ticket at the Weis Market on Day Hollow Road back in February. He missed winning the $139 million Mega Millions jackpot by just one number. On Thursday he was presented a check from the lottery at the Weis market for the $1 million, but the IBM software engineer and father of six will actually be taking home just under $662,000 after required lottery withholdings. Gusefksi is the 33rd New York resident to claim a lottery prize of at least $1 million so far this year. The New York Lottery contributed $3.04 billion during the 2012-2013 fiscal year to support education across the state. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are about one in 176 million. Gusefski purchased his winning ticket for one dollar.
