It was a Hanukkah miracle!
Long Island mom Yuliya Lankri said her husband's holiday gift of a New York Lottery scratch-off ticket will pay $1 million a year for life — with a guarantee of at least $20 million.
"Miracles happen, and they happen on Hanukkah, and I believe in that," beamed Lankri, 37, of Valley Stream, at a press conference called by the state Lottery Commission in late January.
The stay-at-home housewife and mother of three said her husband, Gabriel, 46, bought the $30 "Win $1,000,000 a Year For Life" ticket on Dec. 21 at a Queens Village store.
"It's all yours, baby," he told her when he got home.
Yuliya, who immigrated to America from Russia two decades ago, used a penny to scratch off the ticket and realized, to her amazement, she'd won an annual check of $661,800 after taxes.
"I didn't believe it. I just said, 'It's impossible,' and I said we would go in tomorrow and see.
"But my husband said, 'No, no no. We're going in today. It's real, baby,' " she said.
When they found out he was right, Gabriel tried to insist the prize was all hers, "but I said, 'No, no. It's ours,' " she said.
She said she and her husband "have been happily married for 19 years," and the first thing the money will buy them is a romantic weekend in Paris this spring without the kids.
It also will pay for college for the kids, two girls, ages 16 and 14, and a 4-year-old boy, and "maybe one day, we'll get a new house."
Once she heard about the windfall, their older daughter asked for a Mercedes. Her youngest just wants Transformers toys.
"The 14-year-old, she doesn't care. She said, 'Don't worry, this [first] million dollars is going to go so fast and you'll have nothing left,' " her mom said.
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
Very happy for this deserving couple! Congratulations.
Now if they only sold ticket's like that in my neck of the woods.
Great and wonderfull story .. good way to start the morning ..god bless and congrats to her .... miricale happends to those who believe in it
...long island yes baby keep it coming down to the east end ...
Nice!
My Greatgrandpap came to America with 1 piece of luggage and a dream ............
Was the dream about winning the lottery?
"The 14-year-old, she doesn't care. She said, 'Don't worry, this [first] million dollars is going to go so fast and you'll have nothing left,' " her mom said.
Smart kid.
Congrats to the lucky lady!
For Life
That makes no sense, since several folks are living (usually uncomfortably) to 100 years old these days, AND these annuities are all transferable to an heir(s) upon one's death!
Congratulations Yuliya, your husband sure has powerful 'picking power,' doesn't he?
With sharing amongst themselves, now the Lankri Family will be able to afford a more comfortable lifestyle for the rest of their lifetime.
Why wouldn't an 80+ year old enjoy it?
Great story and I'm glad for them.
One thing I wonder about though is how they can call it "For Life" when it's only for 20 years.
A lot of games say that.
What happened to truth in advertising?
Not in 1894!
I was confused by that at first, still am somewhat. The article says for a minimum of 20 years so maybe it goes past that, or maybe they only expect her to live until 57 and then whack her. lol
On the other hand if she lives to 100 years old are they really going to pay her $63 million?
Regardless, congratulations to her and her family.
If you die before 20 years is up, your estate gets a guaranteed $20 Million! If you live longer, it is "For Life"!
This is not complicated. :$
Untrue, there are plenty of contests that offer lifetime whatever and they are not infinite. They have a finite number of whatever may it be ding dongs or razor blades and once you use them up it is over. There is a $20 raffle here in my state that had multiple one million dollar prizes and a two million dollar grand prize and they actually postponed the final drawing a month and a half because they did not sell enough tickets, so I am skeptical about whether this is a true lifetime prize because they are going to have one heck of a time covering that bill.
Kind of similar to Social Security....
i don't know about those other contests, but what dpoly1 said is correct.
cant trusts last 100 years? so claim in a trust 100 years life!~
I think there have been lotteries in this country since the 1600's.
Actually the first traces of a lottery dates back to the Han Dynasty from 205 to 187 B.C.
In 1567 Queen Elizabeth I, established the first English state lottery.
In 1744 the first lottery was introduced to the Massachusetts colonies.
In 1776 the first national lottery was introduced by the Continental Congress.
The main reason was to raise funds for the American Revolution.
So fwlawrence you were right on the money..........and dpoly's great grandpappy could very well have been playing the lotto. Little did he know that he was preparing dpoly's for a stunning stint at the now famous LP.
19 years of marriage and he still calls her baby!!!
That is a strong marriage and a very happy marriage.
She won the lottery when she said "I do" 19 years ago.
The million dollars a year for life is just the icing on the cake.
Congrats to the family on that great prize! I saw one where people win tickets to games for life. I'd love a prize like that, too!
I second that emotion, PERDUE!
now i have to go to utube,
my dad:TURN THAT RADIO DOWN.
me : but dad its smokey.LOL
Roger that! Bigtime.
I got it on CD though.
Although I have the Temps in right now.
I wish it would rain.
now i gotta go there agin.
love that reverb sound.
Agreed!
LOVE the comment about Tranformer toys!!
I don't see what people are confused by. It pays $1 million a year for life, with a guaranteed minimum of $20 million. If she gets hit by a bus tomorrow her heirs will collect another 19 payments. If she lives for 100 years she'll collect another 99 payments.
" there are plenty of contests that offer lifetime whatever and they are not infinite. They have a finite number of whatever may it be ding dongs or razor blades and once you use them up it is over."
In your case you're confused about the difference between a lifetime and a "lifetime supply". If you use more razor blades or eat more ding dongs than normal people you'll use that supply faster than normal people. Just because they promise you a "lifetime supply" of ding dongs doesn't mean they're going to give you enough to make ding dongs 95% of your diet. Just like the lottery, they cover those details in the full rules, for anyone who wants to read them.
Congrats to the loving couple........
"If [winner] gets hit by a bus tomorrow ... heirs will collect ..."
I'd like to see a lottery put that in the rules.
$1M a year for life...now that's really set for life
Congrats
Congrats 
Glad the lady won....Just restores my faith a little more that my big payday is right around the corner !!!!!
......May the next winner be me or a member of L.P.