March 15, 2013 -- While waiting for her daughter and grandchildren to arrive for a family visit, Barbara Synos of Oxford sat reading the morning newspaper at the kitchen table.  Remembering that she had three “Quick Pick” tickets for the March 4 “Lucky for Life” drawing, Synos flipped through the pages to locate the previous day’s winning Lottery numbers to check her tickets.   

“I had one number on the first ticket.  The second ticket didn’t have any matches.  When I got to the third ticket, I began underlining each number that matched a winning number on my ticket, one after the other, until I counted five numbers—and won $25,000!” Synos told Lottery officials.  

Synos’ ticket missed matching the Lucky Ball number, which was 1, but matched the other five winning numbers drawn, 1 - 10 - 13 - 20 - 36.  Across New England, 66,743 winning Lucky for Life tickets were purchased for March 4.  A total of 21,041 tickets were sold in CT alone with prizes ranging from $2 to $25,000—the second highest prize in the game.  Lucky for Life’s top prize is worth a life-altering $1,000 a day, every day for life.
 
“It was like I was in another world.  I couldn’t believe it!” Synos said with a laugh.  “Shortly after, my daughter and the kids showed up.  I showed her the ticket and we both excitedly called my husband to tell him that I won $25,000.  He didn’t believe it either, of course!”

According to Synos, winning Lucky’s $25,000 prize is like “found money,” which she plans to use for a special vacation.  “It’s been many years ago that I went to Italy with my daughter.  This time, I’d like to go to Italy with my husband,” said Synos.  

Synos recently claimed a prize check for $17,075 (value after taxes) at Lottery headquarters in Rocky Hill for her Lucky 5 number match.  Synos’ winning ticket was purchased at Smoke Junction, located at 71 Oxford Road in Oxford.