A Simsbury resident received an unexpected birthday present this week after winning $1 million in the Powerball lottery. The Connecticut Lottery announced that the winner, who recently turned 60, matched five white balls in the August 30th drawing. The ticket was purchased at Pride Convenience Mart on Hopmeadow Street in Simsbury.
“It was hard to keep a straight face when I scanned the ticket at the store,” said the winner. “It was pure luck.” He added, “Winning is a myth to those who don’t play.” The winner said he has no immediate plans for his winnings but intends to continue playing.
Another Powerball prize went to a Waterbury man who won $50,000. He credited his win to positive thinking and explained that he usually buys tickets from one of two specific locations. “I think about winning while getting the ticket,” he said. He plans to use part of his prize for savings and home renovations, and will continue playing with “even more positive vibes.” His ticket was purchased at Super Wines & Liquors on West Main Street in Cheshire.
An Oakdale player with over four decades of experience playing CT Lottery scratch games won $100,000 on a Cashword ticket bought at Preston General Store on Route 165 in Preston. After discovering his win, he shared the news with his roommate and plans to buy a new car with his prize money. As a bonus for selling the winning ticket, Preston General Store will receive $1,000.
A New Jersey woman visiting her mother in Connecticut also claimed a $100,000 Cash5 prize after purchasing a quick pick ticket at 7/11 on New Britain Avenue in Newington for the October 22nd drawing. She plans to use some of her winnings to buy her mother a plane ticket to Poland so she can visit family she has not seen in two decades.
The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) is responsible for generating revenue for Connecticut through its lottery games while maintaining standards of public policy and social responsibility. In fiscal year 2024 alone, players won over $1 billion in prizes and approximately $387 million was returned to Connecticut’s General Fund for essential services such as education and public health programs (https://ctlottery.org/AboutUs).
Since its inception in 1972, CLC has contributed nearly $12 billion toward state programs and awarded more than $23 billion in prizes. Players must be at least 18 years old to purchase lottery tickets; support is available for problem gambling by calling (888) 789-7777 or visiting https://ccpg.org/.
