Queens man scores $612G on Cash4Life lottery ticket sold in Valley Stream

A Queens man claimed a $612,000 lump sum payment after buying... — A Queens man claimed a $612,000 lump sum payment after buying a Cash4Life lottery ticket in Valley Stream. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost

By Maureen Mullarkeymaureen.mullarkey@newsday.comUpdated January 15, 2026 12:29 pm

One Queens man is starting off 2026 as a year to remember.

Leon Cooke, of Springfield Gardens, won a $1,000-a-week-for-life second prize for matching the first five Cash4Life numbers drawn on Nov. 3, the New York Lottery announced on Wednesday on its website.

The winning ticket was purchased at Valley Gas & Repair on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream.

Cooke elected to receive the cash value of the minimum payout, resulting in a single lump sum payment of $612,240 after required withholdings, the website said.

The winning numbers were: 09, 10, 16, 38, 51 with the Cash Ball 01.

Valley Gas & Repair could not be immediately reached for comment.

By Maureen Mullarkey

maureen.mullarkey@newsday.com

Maureen Mullarkey is a breaking news reporter at Newsday. She previously worked as a reporter for Patch, where she covered a range of Long Island stories on topics such as the Diocese of Rockville Centre bankruptcy and the Babylon School District abuse scandals.

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