January 24, 2014 -- Last night, while getting ready for work at his second job, Michael Samlidis of Norwalk asked his wife, Helen, to check the CT Lottery’s website for the winning Lucky for Life numbers.  “When she gave me the piece of paper with the numbers she wrote down, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest!  I couldn’t believe it,” Samlidis told lottery officials with a laugh.    

Samlidis’ $2 Lucky for Life ticket for the January 23rd drawing missed the Lucky Ball number, 19, but matched five of the winning numbers drawn; 12-14-19-20-21, for the game’s $25,000 a year for life 2nd prize.  “These are all family’s birthday numbers.  I’ve been playing them for years,” Samlidis said.

Across New England, 43,244 winning Lucky for Life tickets were purchased for the January 23, 2014 drawing, including 14,303 tickets in Connecticut alone.  The drawing also marks the 14th time a ‘$25,000 a year for life’ 2nd prize has been won in New England since the new game began on September 19, and fourth Lucky 2nd prize win for Connecticut.  

The minimum guaranteed amount a 2nd prize Lucky for Life “Annuity” winner could receive is $500,000 ($25,000 a year for 20 years), but winners who live longer than 20 years will receive prize payments for the remainder of their natural life.  Samlidis opted to collect his $25,000 a year for life 2nd prize in a one-time cash lump-sum of $390,000.

“This prize will make life a little bit easier,” Samlidis said.  “We’ll be able to help our kids, our grandchildren, and maybe take a vacation back to Greece, my homeland.”

For selling Samlidis his winning ticket, Hills Confectionery, located at 57 Stevens Street in Norwalk, will receive a $2,500 bonus check from the CT Lottery.