Williamstown Man Wins $1 Million Prize During Celtics Halftime Contest
He becomes the first person to win $1 million in a Celtics game through the Celtics Banner 18 Second Chance promotion.
Chatchavan Buasaengthong celebrates with Brian Scalabrine and State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg.
Image Courtesy Mass LotteryA Massachusetts man, Chatchavan Buasaengthong of Williamstown, won a $1 million prize during halftime at a Boston Celtics game at TD Garden. He becomes the first person to win $1 million in a Celtics game through the Celtics Banner 18 Second Chance promotion.
Buasaengthong was one of five contestants chosen through separate Second Chance Drawings conducted during the sale of the Celtics Banner 18 instant ticket. Eligible players submitted non-winning tickets on the Mass Lottery website and app.
Buasaengthong and the four other contestants were brought onto the court at halftime during the game on Friday, Dec. 19, and welcomed by former Celtics player Brian Scalabrine. Each contestant selected an oversized version of the scratch ticket they had lost.
Four tickets were connected with $10,000 cash prizes, but Buasaengthong's card revealed the $1 million grand prize.
“I was not expecting to win the $1 million prize! I called my wife to tell her I had won,” Buasaengthong said to The Berkshire Eagle immediately after the win. He received an oversized check from state Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who also serves as chair of the State Lottery Commission.
According to Rachel Guerra, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts Lottery, Buasaengthong is the first person to win $1 million at TD Garden through the state's partnership with the Celtics. The Berkshire Eagle noted that all five contestants had submitted losing tickets and were preselected from five drawings. They were awarded prizes like free game tickets and custom jerseys; contestants also received two free Celtics tickets and a custom jersey.
According to the state, Buasaengthong was among approximately 10 Berkshire County residents whose names were selected in the second-chance drawings. Amber Harrington of North Adams and Lisa Levardi of Pittsfield also won all-access Celtics experiences. The experiences included four regular-season home game tickets, access to pre-game warmups, and dinner with a Celtics legend. The package is valued at approximately $19,000.
The Berkshire Eagle noted that the Banner 18 Challenge instant ticket is no longer for sale. Prizes, however, can still be redeemed through Oct. 16, 2026. This promotion coincided with the Celtics' 18th NBA title.
