Lakewood Man Snags $1M Powerball Prize

A Chautauqua County player just turned a regular day into a million-dollar moment. William Lasher of Lakewood snagged a $1 million Powerball second-prize win after matching the first five numbers from the Aug. 27 drawing.

• Winning numbers: 09, 12, 22, 41, 61 and Powerball 25

• Lucky ticket location: Crosby’s on East Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood

• Fun fact: Lakewood sits about 60 miles southwest of Buffalo

Instead of annual payments, Lasher went for a one-time cash payout, walking away with $651,000 after required withholdings.

And while this win is big, the New York Lottery itself is no lightweight.

• Powerball sales alone hit $327.8 million for fiscal year 2024-2025.

• New York school districts scored even bigger, receiving $1.4 billion in Lottery Aid to Education.

• Overall, the Lottery pumped $3.6 billion into public schools statewide that same year.