February 14, 2013 -- A monumental $2,000,000 top prize win was claimed yesterday by Xiang Zhou Chen of Naugatuck, the 7th of 10 top prizes awarded in the CT Lottery instant game, “Big Money.”  

True to the game’s name, Big Money’s $2,000,000 top prize offers its winners the choice of a 20-year annuity or a one-time cash lump-sum equivalent.  After careful consideration, Chen selected the annuity option and was presented at Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill with his first prize check for $100,000 (value before taxes).  

Naugatuck’s local 7-Eleven store, located at 801 Rubber Avenue, is the lucky 12-year lottery retailer who sold Chen his top prize winning ticket.  Store owner, Hema Desai, told Lottery officials that she couldn’t be more pleased.  “We were shocked when we learned that our store sold a $2,000,000 winning ticket.  We’re especially happy for the winner—it’s nice that someone from our own town was the one to buy the winning ticket,” Desai said.

For selling the top prize winning ticket, 7-Eleven will receive a $20,000 bonus from the CT Lottery.