The Connecticut Lottery has launched new $5 scratch-off tickets celebrating UConn basketball's championship legacy. Players can win up to $3.5 million in total prizes, with three top prizes of $50,000 each.

Over 1 million tickets are available at 2,800+ retail locations statewide, with winning odds of 1 in 3.54. Players can multiply their prizes using special multipliers (2X, 3X, 5X, and 10X) when matching numbers.

The launch follows Connecticut's bold claim as the "Basketball Capital of the World," displayed on interstate highway signs near the Massachusetts border. This sparked controversy with Massachusetts, home to basketball's birthplace in Springfield and the NBA's Boston Celtics with their 18 championships.

UConn's basketball programs have earned this recognition with 17 NCAA national championships between the men's and women's teams. Currently, the men's team ranks ninth with a 12-3 record, while the women's team sits at seventh with a 13-2 record in the 2024-25 season.

The teams compete primarily in Hartford and occasionally in New York City as part of the Big East conference, with speculation growing about potential moves to either the Big 12 or ACC in future conference realignment.

Brett Steen, senior director of marketing at the Connecticut Lottery, emphasizes the partnership's significance: "It's a great evolution for us — working with UConn. And we are also leaning into that 'basketball capital of the world' designation that UConn and the governor's office had worked on."

Related Articles

Previous Articles