Patriots Season Tickets for Life winner Rafaela Oliveira of Plymouth (left) and a friend.
BRAINTREE, Mass. - A Plymouth mother and lifelong New England Patriots fan became the second Massachusetts Lottery player to win Season Tickets for Life after her name was selected from more than 320,000 second-chance drawing entries.
Rafaela Oliveira won the fabulous prize in the New England Patriots instant game, the first NFL licensed Lottery game. The $5 instant game - which was introduced by Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill and Robert Kraft, Chairman and CEO of The Kraft Group, at the start of the 2009 football season - has already sold more than $60 million in tickets.
"I'm anticipating getting a lot of phone calls from friends," Oliveira said at Lottery headquarters recently. "This has been incredible."
The New England Patriots instant game features 10 instant prizes of $1 million, 4,250 VIP ticket packages, and unique Patriots merchandise. As the game reaches five sales milestones, Season Tickets for Life will be awarded in separate second-chance drawings (Visit www.masslottery.com for more details).
"The New England Patriots Lottery instant ticket brings together two organizations that are dedicated to winning and serving their fans," said Treasurer Cahill, chairman of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. "Most importantly, we are raising millions of dollars in local aid for our 351 cities and towns."
The New England Patriots ticket follows in the tradition of the Lottery's successful line of sports-themed tickets. Since 2006, the Massachusetts Lottery has sold about $900 million in sports-themed tickets and raised more than $125 million for police officers, fire fighters, teachers and other essential municipal services.
"We're so happy for Rafaela and her family," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "It feels good to reward so many Patriots fans with these incredible prizes while also benefiting cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth through the sale of Patriots instant tickets."
In another exciting game feature, two bonus drawing winners have the chance to take home $1 million in the "Million Dollar Drive." In the first "Million Dollar Drive" on Nov. 22, 2009, June Chapman of Easton won $300,000. In the promotion, the winning contestant walks onto the Gillette Stadium field to pick from 24 hidden prizes on larger-than-life instant tickets. Eight tickets are worth $100,000; six are worth $200,000; four others are worth $300,000; two prizes are worth $400,000; two are worth $500,000 and two grand prize tickets are worth $1 million. The second Million Dollar Drive will be scheduled during the 2010 season.
"Even with the 2009 football season nearing its conclusion this weekend, the Lottery can still deliver excitement for Patriots fans," said Lottery Executive Director Mark Cavanagh. "The number and variety of winning experiences in this instant ticket is unparalleled in the industry."
About the Massachusetts State LotteryThe Massachusetts State Lottery is dedicated to providing revenue for the Commonwealth's 351 cities and towns. Since 2003, the Lottery has returned more than $6.3 billion to taxpayers. The Lottery, through our 7,500 agents, offers players exciting and entertaining games, a formula that has made us among the most successful lotteries in the nation. For more information, please visit www.masslottery.com.
About the New England Patriots
The Patriots were named the eighth and final charter franchise of the American Football League (AFL) on Nov. 16, 1959 and celebrated their 50th anniversary season in 2009. In 1994, Robert Kraft purchased the franchise and vowed to bring New England its first league championship. The Patriots delivered on that promise at the end of the 2001 season and became just the second team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span after winning back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. Since 1994, the Patriots have won more games (183) and more often (.654 winning percentage) than any other NFL team. For more information, please visit www.patriots.com.
