BEGINNER’S LUCK? FIRST TIME CT LOTTERY PLAYER WINS STATE’S FIRST BIG DOUBLE PLAY PRIZE WORTH $500K

Connecticut’s first major Powerball Double Play winner did a double take after discovering she had won half a million dollars.

“This is my first time playing CT Lottery,” said the Meriden woman. “I’m still in disbelief.”

She decided to try her luck during the recent nearly billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpot run and bought a Powerball ticket as well, using the Quick Pick option.

“I’ve never played Powerball, so the clerk was helping me buy the ticket,” she recalled. “He asked if I wanted an add-on, and I asked what he recommended. He said Double Play, so I bought the add-on.”

That recommendation paid off. She matched all five black balls in the Double Play drawing: 47, 17, 19, 53, and 61, winning $500,000. Had she also matched the Double Play Powerball number, she would have won a $10 million top cash prize.

The winning ticket was purchased at H&H Mart on Broad St. in Meriden. Double Play, an optional add-on feature for an additional $1 per play, offers a second opportunity for players to win using their same Powerball numbers. The top cash prize for this feature is a staggering $10 million.

The winner says she plans to use the money to pay off her mortgage and celebrate her daughter’s upcoming wedding.

Congratulations to Connecticut’s first big Double Play winner — and to her daughter!

Meanwhile, the Powerball jackpot continues to grow. Wednesday night’s jackpot is worth an estimated $681 million.

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Overall odds of Powerball and Double Play are 1 in 24.9. Jackpot odds 1 in 292,201,338. Purchasers must be 18 or older. Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org.

About the Connecticut Lottery Corporation

The Connecticut Lottery Corporation (CLC) is a quasi-public state agency committed to generating revenue for Connecticut in accordance with the highest standards of public policy and social responsibility.

In fiscal year 2025, CLC awarded more than $1.3 billion in prizes, paid $81.9 million in commissions and incentives to its network of more than 2,800 retail partners, and contributed approximately $362 million to the state’s General Fund. Through the General Fund, CT lottery dollars support services and programs that benefit Connecticut residents and communities, including education, public health, public safety, and libraries.

Since 1972, the Lottery has contributed nearly $12 billion for the State of Connecticut.

Lottery purchases are limited to adults age 18 or older. Players must be at least 21 to place sports wagers.Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org.