November 28, 2012 -- Monday’s CT Lottery “Lucky for Life” drawing paid out a prize even better than a “baker’s dozen” for Louis Chianelli of Colchester—$25,000 to be exact—garnering the second highest prize in the game.  Lucky for Life’s top prize is worth a life-altering $1,000 a day, every day for life.

On November 26, Chianelli’s “Quick Pick” ticket missed matching the Lucky Ball number, which was 19, but matched the other five winning numbers drawn, 6 - 7 - 8 - 11 - 33.  Across New England, 87,802 winning Lucky for Life tickets were purchased on that date; 24,068 were sold in CT alone with prizes ranging from $2 to $25,000.  

“I went to the lottery’s website, saw the Lucky for Life numbers and sat there in amazement,” Chianelli, a baker for Dunkin Donuts® in East Hampton, told Lottery officials.  “I couldn’t believe it was possible.”

Since the “first” Lucky for Life drawing on March 15, 2012, there have been 1,846,421 “lucky” winning tickets sold in CT alone, including two top prize winning tickets, and the number keeps on growing.

“This will help me catch up on some bills; the rest I’ll put away,” said Chianelli, who claimed his prize check for $17,075 (value after taxes) at Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill.  “Maybe I’ll even buy some white baker suspenders,” Chianelli said with a laugh.  

Chianelli purchased his Lucky for Life prize winning ticket at Stop & Shop #608, located at 99 Linwood Avenue in Colchester.