AKWESASNE, NY -- A Massena woman became a Millionaire when she hit on a progressive jackpot slot machine Thursday night at the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino.  The hugely popular “Wheel Of Fortune” game made a new fan out of Joan Catanzarite of Massena, New York when she was awarded the jackpot prize of $1,336,636.63.  It took several minutes before it sunk it just exactly how much she had won when she sat down to play.

Joan said she visits only occasionally, but loves to play the “Wheel of Fortune” game when she is here.  “I always seem to win something on that game,” said Catanzarite.  On this night, she won a jackpot that is the largest machine jackpot prize ever awarded at any North Country gaming facility.  When she hit the prize, the machine locked up and issued a message to call for a slot attendant.  Joan said when she looked at the prize amount, she thought it only said $1,336…and she would have been happy with that amount!  It was only when a Casino associate arrived to check the machine was it known exactly how much she may have won.

“Wheel Of Fortune” is one of the Casino’s ‘wide area progressive’ machines which is connected to hundreds of machines nationally allowing the jackpots to grow more quickly and to large amounts.  This game belongs to International Game Technology, a Nevada gaming company, so they had to send in their own personnel to work with Casino associates and regulators to verify the jackpot win.  During the verification process, Catanzarite had time to try and decide what she would do with her new winnings.  She stated she would likely use the money to help her daughters through college, though she said she didn’t expect this win would change her life drastically.  Joan called in her husband Joe shortly after she was told of the possible jackpot win, and they continued to share numerous ideas of how they could use the money.

Once confirmed shortly after 11pm on April 19, Joan was officially decreed a “Millionaire” and had her win verified by company and Casino personnel.  A loud chorus of cheers erupted when the prize was officially announced in the Casino.  Joan smiled and kept saying throughout the night that, “it just goes to show that anyone can win.”

Joan’s jackpot prize is paid by IGT in 26 annual payments – the first paid on the night of the win and the rest over the next 25 years. 

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The St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is the duly elected and federally recognized government of the Mohawk people.