Matthew Tursi Wins $25,000 Playing "$1,000,000 Silver & Gold"
South Windsor Disc Jockey Proves Nice Guys Finish First
May 18, 2011 -- While on his way to visit his mother, 24-year old Matthew Tursi of South Windsor made a spur of the moment decision to stop at Mobil “On the Run” located on Poquonock Avenue in Windsor, and buy his mom her favorite fountain soda. “I saw the store and decided to be a nice guy and buy her a Pepsi,” said Tursi. When the cashier asked if he wanted anything else, Tursi randomly selected a CT Lottery “
$1,000,000 Silver & Gold” instant ticket. Being short of time, Tursi simply scratched off the barcode area on the ticket and gave it back to the cashier to have it scanned by the lottery terminal. To Tursi’s pleasant surprise, the ticket was a winner, but the prize, the clerk said, was too big to cash at the station—it was worth an incredible $25,000.
Tursi, a professional disc jockey who goes by the name “DJ Skillz,” said that he did a double take when the cashier handed him the Claim Voucher for his ticket. “At first I thought it was for $2,500, but then I was really surprised…it was $25,000. My first thought was, ‘I’m out of debt!’” Tursi told Lottery officials with a laugh.”
By the time Tursi went outside and got into his car, the reality of his big win began to sink in. “I called my dad first and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this!” Shortly after, he shared the good news with his mother in person. “Nobody was happier for me than my mom; she was so excited,” Tursi said.
Even though the weather has been gloomy lately, Tursi was nothing but smiles when he arrived at CT Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill with his father to claim his check for $17,128 (the prize value after taxes). “This is great,” said Tursi. “I’m going to be able to pay off my equipment, my car…everything. I’m going to be debt free.”
For selling Tursi his $25,000 winning $1,000,000 Silver & Gold instant game ticket, Mobil “On the Run” will receive $250 from the CT Lottery.