North Haven Man Wins $38K Lottery Prize, Treats Family To Tropical Vacation

NORTH HAVEN, CT — North Haven’s Philip Maturo couldn’t stop smiling as he claimed his $38,540 prize on “Play4 Day” at Connecticut Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill.

“WE won!” Maturo emphasized to his wife, Isabel. The couple was together when they purchased their tickets and placed their lucky numbers.

“I kept feeling that (the numbers) would come up,” Maturo told Lottery officials.

Maturo’s winner numbers 0-2-2-1 were a perfect match for the Play4 Day drawing on March 16, 2017. He placed five “Straight” $1 wagers and five “Straight/Box” $1 wagers for a winning total prize of $38,540.

Maturo, a car dealer, was returning from a delivery when he received a phone call.

“Did you see the numbers?” a friend asked. Knowing that his numbers may have been drawn, Maturo pulled over to check the tickets in his back pocket.

“We had to use our phones to calculate out the prize,” Maturo said with a laugh.

Excited about their new found winnings, the Maturos celebrated with a family dinner and are planning a tropical vacation; a place where “… the weather’s good—plenty of restaurants.”

Though he always wanted to win big on the lottery, Maturo stressed that family came first and winnings were supplemental. When asked if he considered himself lucky, Maturo subtly turned to his wife and stated, “The luckiest day was when I met you.”

The winning tickets were sold at In & Out Market located on 88 Quinnipiac Ave in North Haven.

Photo via CT Lottery