CHICAGO – A man from southern Illinois recently claimed some serious cash, a cool $1 million, after scratching an Illinois Lottery Instant Ticket.
The winning ticket, $10 Million, was purchased at Circle K gas station and convenience store, located at 1710 S. 10th Street in Mount Vernon, IL.
“My girlfriend scratched the ticket and kept on staring at it and saying, ‘This can’t be right, this can’t be right’ – so I took a look and then ended up saying the same thing,” laughed the winner, who has requested to remain anonymous. “Once it sank in that we had won $1 million, we were both dumbfounded and happy at the same time – a moment we will never forget.”
When asked what he plans to do with the winnings, the newfound millionaire replied, “Fulfill our dream and buy a new house, give a little love to my family and hopefully retire a little earlier.”
This is also a win for Circle K for selling the winning ticket, as the retailer will receive a selling bonus of $10,000, which is one percent of the prize amount.
Already this month, more than 2.5 million Illinois Lottery Instant Tickets have been sold, netting players over $63.7 million in prizes.
The Illinois Lottery reminds players to play for fun, not funds. Be Smart, Play Smart®. Must be 18 or older to play. Game odds available at IllinoisLottery.com.
About the Illinois Lottery
The Illinois Lottery, founded in 1974, has contributed over $24 billion to the State’s Common School Fund in support of K-12 public education in Illinois since 1985. The Common School Fund is the Illinois Lottery’s primary beneficiary, receiving nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds. The Illinois Lottery also supports various specialty causes as described in the Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/21.4). For more information about the Illinois Lottery and the causes we support, please visit IllinoisLottery.com.