Winner Of $3.4 Million Lottery Ticket Sold In Greenwich Speaks Out

GREENWICH, CT — Winning seems to be contagious.

Fresh off the New York Knicks' first championship in 53 years, a lifelong Knicks fan claimed a Lotto! jackpot prize worth $3.4 million. The winning ticket was purchased in Old Greenwich, the Connecticut Lottery says.

"It was the Knicks! The Knicks won! That’s what it is!" said Bernard Binaparte of Queens, N.Y., at CT Lottery Headquarters in Wallingford last week, according to a news release from the CT Lottery.

"The Knicks won. That’s what’s important right now...it feels good," he added.

Binaparte's winning ticket matched all six numbers in the Friday, June 12 CT Lottery Lotto! drawing. The next day, the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA Finals.

Binaparte chose the Gulf gas station at 1324 E. Putnam Ave. in Old Greenwich for a reason, the CT Lottery said - the lottery retailer has been on a hot streak of late.

Recently, the gas station sold a $25,000 scratch game winner. In 2025, the retailer sold a $1 million scratch game winner, and in 2024, it sold another scratch ticket worth $4.3 million.

The retailer also sold scratch game winners worth $40,000 and $30,000 during the last two years, the CT Lottery noted.

Binaparte said he plans to buy a house and move to warmer weather, according to the CT Lottery.

"I love New York, and I love the Connecticut Lottery!" he said in a news release.

The $3.4 million Lotto! jackpot comes months after another Connecticut Lotto! player in Groton won a $6.8 million jackpot in the Feb. 3 drawing. The ticket was sold at the Big Y World Class Market on Poquonnock Road in Groton.