Need for air in tires leads man to $1M lottery jackpot

July 3 (UPI) -- A New York state man said the need to put air in his tires led to his winning a $1 million jackpot from a scratch-off lottery ticket.

The New York Lottery said Anthony Iavarone of Clifton Park purchased a Cashword scratch-off ticket at Stewart's Shops in Ballston Spa and the scratcher turned out to be a $1 million jackpot winner.

Iavarone said he never would have purchased the ticket if not for the need to put air in his tires. "I stopped at Stewart's to put air in my tires and decided to run in and buy a Lottery ticket," Iavarone said. "I picked the Cashword ticket because that's the ticket my aunt always plays."

Iavarone said he was in disbelief when he saw that he had won the jackpot.

"I didn't believe that I really won. My father took the ticket and scanned it to be sure, but we still didn't believe it," he said.

Iavarone will receive a lump sum payment totaling $661,800 after withholdings, the lottery said.

"Winning the Lottery is one of the best feelings in the world," the self-employed landscaper said. "I plan to use the money to grow my small business."