Report: Albany TV reporter Tamara Starr to be New York State Lottery's 'new Yolanda Vega'

Is the New York State Lottery about to finally replace the irreplaceable Yolanda Vega? A reporter for an upstate TV station posted on social media Thursday that she will be the next face of the Lottery, or as she described the new job, "Yolanda Vega's gig." In other words, the person seen during WABC/7's "Eyewitness News" announcing that day's winning Lottery numbers.

According to an Albany Times Union report, Tamara Starr, a feature reporter for NBC Albany affiliate WNYT/13 and contributor to the station's morning programs, confirmed that she would take the role. In a post on X, Starr wrote, “I got Yolanda Vega’s gig and I am absolutely loving it. I appreciate everything that WNYT has done for me and has allowed for me to even be creative with segments like 'Tamara Tries,' " her regular morning segment, in which she sampled various Albany activities. The Staten Island native and mother of three joined the station two years ago after a long run at Albany's ABC affiliate, WTEN/10.

Over a 32-year span, Vega's catchphrase, "For the New York Lottery, I'm YoLANNNda Vega!!!" was perhaps the most famous on local television,  right up there with "Nobody beats the Wiz" and "Crazy Eddie ... his prices are INSAAANE." She gave away millions (or billions) and did it with a smile. Born Yolanda Antequera, one of six daughters of a Puerto Rican maintenance worker and his homemaker wife in Brooklyn's Red Hook neighborhood, Vega retired in 2022.

Both Starr and the New York State Gaming Commission did not respond to Newsday's request for comments.