Charlotte Peters got more than she expected when having Lottery tickets purchased by her late husband checked at the grocery store.

Her husband bought her the ticket the day he died, suddenly. Peters didn’t look at the ticket until recently, she said.

Expecting she might win a few dollars, Peters was stunned to learn that one of the tickets was worth $10,022,823, making her Connecticut’s First Lottery Millionaire of the New Year. “It’s certainly more than the $2 I’m used to winning,” Peters said.

Surrounded by family members, Peters presented her winning ticket to Lottery officials at the gency’s Rocky Hill headquarters. She has not yet made plans for the windfall. Lottery regulations allow jackpot winners 60 days after filing a claim to determine a prize payment option that is best for them.

Winners can opt to receive Connecticut’s Classic Lotto jackpot prizes in 21 equal annual payments or in a one-time cash lump sum amount. Peters intends to speak with professional financial planners to help her choose which payment option will be best for her.

If she selects the annuity option, she’ll receive $477,277 (pre-taxes) annually for 21 payments. The choice of a one-time cash lump sum payment will be worth $6,048,0777 (pre-taxes).

While Peters’ winning jackpot ticket was the only one sold for the Dec. 2 Lotto drawing, there were also 17,168 additional winning tickets in that draw, winning prizes ranging from $2 to $1,302. Peter’s winning Classic Lotto numbers were 02-07-09-11-27-33.

Prior to Peters’ Dec. 2 win, Connecticut’s Classic Lotto’s jackpot was last won in June 2008.

I tried to talk to Peters, but she declined further interviews.

IT’S A LOTTERY WORLD:

Tonight’s Mega Millions draw is $12 million, after someone won $46 million last Friday in California.

Wednesday’s Powerball is worth $105 million. Remember to play a new ticket because the game has changed to a 5/59, 1/39 pick.

Friday night’s Euro Millions offers a jackpot of more than 53 million euros. That’s more than $70 million, U.S.

Good luck everyone. And welcome to the Powerball family, Florida.