August 15, 2008 -- “I couldn’t believe it.” Oftentimes, that’s what Lottery officials hear from prizewinners who travel to the corporation’s Rocky Hill headquarters to claim top prize tickets. But today, it was the CT Lottery Claims Department staff members who were in disbelief.

As Lottery staff processed a $30,000 top prize “Money Bags” scratch ticket presented for payment by Anthony Curridori of New London, Curridori purchased a $2 ticket for the Lottery’s popular "Mega Money" game to pass the time. Scratching the ticket, he quickly realized it held a perfect match for a $20,000 top prize. “He began shouting, ‘I won, I won, I won $20,000,’ and jumped up,” said the clerk who processed the original claim.

“I couldn’t believe it,” another of the employees on duty reported. “We’re used to seeing winners come in after the fact, being here to see such an amazing winning moment was terrific.”

Curridori’s two tickets produced two top prize amounts -- the original $30,000 won playing Money Bags, and an added $20,000 won on the Mega Money ticket purchased at the Lottery offices. CT Lottery officials presented Curridori with two prize checks totaling $35,002 (the value after taxes) for the two jackpots.

Fiesta Market on Market Avenue in New London sold the winning Money Bags ticket, and will receive a $300 bonus for the sale.

As for the Lottery’s Claims team, they quickly hung a “We Had A $20,000 Winner!” in their department’s front window.