March 26, 2008 -- The odds of being hit by lightning are 576,000 to one, while the chance to win the CT Lottery's Classic Lotto jackpot are more than 12 times greater, at 7.1 million to 1. Yet, for Torrington resident Jim Seitz, who is employed in the "lightning protection" industry, winning the March 18 Lotto jackpot worth $5,511,009 was a jolt he didn't mind experiencing.

Connecticut's Newest Millionaires, Jim and Jean Seitz, today claimed the Classic Lotto jackpot they won, at Lottery headquarters in New Britain. Their ticket was the only one sold statewide that had the jackpot winning combination for that night's Lotto drawing.

It's a matter of habit for Jim Seitz to stop by the Winsted Road Mobil Station in South Torrington each Tuesday and Friday before the game's drawing, and then to check the numbers on his ticket in the next day's news. Jim noticed the first number on his "Quick Pick" Lotto ticket was a match. The second number matched as well. And, the third. Seeing a fourth number match, Jim was pleased, thinking he'd won a prize of around $40. It was then that he realized that all six numbers on his ticket matched those in the paper, and the jackpot win was his.

Jim and Jean relied on the Lottery's web site to check their numbers again, against the results shown there. "About a dozen times," Jim joked when asked about verifying the numbers. Searching the site, they located information about steps to take if you're a winner, which includes encouraging winners to seek professional legal and financial planning advice.

That advice helped the Seitz's to determine a one-time cash lump sum payment, rather than a 21-year annuity option, would most suit their long-term financial needs and goals. The jackpot's lump sum value was $3,400,807. Federal and state taxes (25% and 5% respectively) brought the net amount of their prize to $2,380,568.

"We are pleased that, like the vast majority of our jackpot winners, Jim and Jean have taken a thoughtful approach to planning for their future. We applaud their actions, and wish them all the best as they venture into this new phase of their lives," noted Anne M. Noble, President and CEO of the Lottery.

The Seitz's winning ticket was among 9,979 winning tickets whose values ranged from $2 up to the jackpot, sold statewide for that drawing. The March 18 Classic Lotto numbers drawn were 02 - 07 - 29 - 33 - 34 - 44.

Since the CT Lottery's Lotto game started in 1983, there have been nine (9) jackpot wins for Torrington residents, totaling $34,000,000.