$2.3 Million Prize Claimed off CT Lottery Scratch Ticket

ROCKY HILL, CT — An Avon resident has won more than $2 million on a scratch ticket, Connecticut Lottery officials said. Meanwhile, a $1 million prize remains unclaimed and another $1 million has expired with no one claiming the money.

On Tuesday, Stephen Dimaria claimed $2.3 million from the ticket. He had won the top prize in the $3,000,000 Royale game and opted for a lump sum payment rather than the $3 million annuity, CT Lottery officials said.

The ticket was purchased at the South Windsor Cordial Shoppe, located at 869 Sullivan Ave.

It was the final top prize in the $3,000,000 Royale game, so the game is automatically retired, according to lottery officials.

As the big scratch ticket prize was being claimed no one has come forward to take home, a $1 million prize from the May 2 Powerball drawing, lottery officials said.

It is set to expire on Oct. 29, according to lottery officials.

The winning numbers are: 5-14-31-40-50 with a Powerball of 6.

The ticket was sold at the Georgetown Shell station in Wilton, 912 Danbury Road.

Meanwhile, time ran out on an unclaimed $1 million lottery prize this month.

The ticket was purchased at the Super Stop & Shop in the Kensington section of Berlin for the Jan. 6 Powerball drawing. The player didn't win the jackpot, but the ticket matched the first five numbers drawn for a $1 million payout.

It expired in July 5. The winning Powerball numbers drawn on Jan. 6 were 12 - 29 - 30 - 33 - 61 and the Powerball number was 26.

Since the CT Lottery started in 1972, there are three directions unclaimed prize money can take:

1. The prize money can be transferred to the state’s General Fund (which is where 100 peercent of all Lottery profits normally are sent).
2. The prize money can be used to supplement the advertising and marketing needs of the CT Lottery.
3. The prize money can be returned to players, in the form of prizes (i.e., special promotions).

At various times throughout the CT Lottery’s history, all three options have taken place. However, in the "vast majority" of cases, the money is returned to the state’s General Fund, "since the mission of the CT Lottery is to provide revenue to the state, via contributions to the General Fund," officials said.

Photo Credit: CT Lottery

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