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* Press release…
We’ve all dreamed of winning the lottery, retiring early, and traveling all around the country. Well, that dream is now a reality for one lucky Illinois Lottery player.
A 66-year old Illinois man, who wishes to remain anonymous, is celebrating big time after spending $20 on a 100X Payout Instant Ticket and winning the game’s top prize – a whopping $2,000,000.
The winning ticket was purchased at Pilot Travel Center, located at 3801 N. Division St. in Morris.
“My wife and I stopped for gas and I picked up a scratch-off ticket,” said the newly minted-millionaire. “She said, ‘Don’t scratch it in front of me - I’m bad luck.’ So once we got back home, I scratched the ticket alone and I couldn’t believe it - the ticket was a $2 million winner! I was laughing and crying at the same time. We are just ecstatic.”
After realizing his incredible luck, the happy winner decided it was time to pursue his dreams after 40 years of working, and told his boss that he’s retiring.
“When I told my boss the news of my retirement, he wasn’t happy,” said the lucky winner. “He asked me – ‘What’s it going to take to get you to stay?’ I chuckled and said, ‘$2 million dollars!’”
The lucky Illinois Lottery winner has played many different scratch-off games, but on that day, he chose a specific ticket due to its color.
“I picked the pink ticket because it’s my granddaughter’s favorite color,” explained the lucky winner. “Every year I take my family to the Chicago RV & Camping Show. After winning today, she asked me, ‘Grandpa, when do I get to go for a ride in your new RV?’ So, I guess I’m buying an RV now’” he laughed.
So far this year, 19 other Illinois Lottery players have become millionaires after winning on Instant Tickets.
In total, more than 48 million winning Instant Tickets have been sold in Illinois, netting lottery players over $1.04 billion in prizes in 2023.
The Illinois Lottery currently offers more than 50 different Instant Ticket games at over 7,000 retail locations across Illinois.
The Illinois Lottery encourages all winners to write their name on the back of their ticket and keep it in a safe place until they’re ready to claim their prize. Winners should visit IllinoisLottery.com/winning for more information on how to claim their prizes.
* The Question: How often do you buy lottery tickets, and have you ever won anything substantial?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 10:49 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
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I buy one every so often. Once I won $1,000 but to collect, I had to sit for over an hour in the Thompson Center waiting for the ticket to be verified and a check to be cut. Made me fully appreciate how awful that building was.
Comment by mjrothjr Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 10:53 am
I only buy them when the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpots hit a certain level. Don’t play otherwise.
Comment by Hannibal Lecter Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 10:56 am
I’ll buy a $2 ticket if the mega/Powerball are high enough. It’s a fun diversion every once in a while. I once won $4
Comment by Sox Fan Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:10 am
I have an online subscription for the Illinois Lotto and call it my “donation to Illinois education.” I have not won anything substantial, but I still can hope to be lucky someday.
Comment by Majority of Me Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:15 am
If it gets high enough, I’ll pick up a single ticket with one play for each drawing until it’s hit.
If I lose, the $2/play isn’t going to break me, and it’s a chance at life-changing money.
Comment by The Dude Abides Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:16 am
I don’t buy scratchers and only buy Mega and powerball when the prize is over $250 million. I figure then, for $3 it is worth a chance at taking home over $100 million.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:17 am
Winning $2M on a scratcher is the true American Dream.
And congrats to the store owner!!!! Nice little pay day for them too!
Comment by Wobblers United Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:19 am
1) every few months when there’s a massive prize in the news
2) no, but I had a great uncle who twice won several thousand dollars (I think 5k once and 2 or 3k another time).
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:20 am
Only buy them when the jackpot is huge. Never won anything big.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:25 am
I rarely play. I was sitting next to a guy at a weekly poker game and watched him hit one of the $5000/week/month? prizes on a scratcher. Quit his job 15 seconds later. Still see him at the card game. He lives a very happy life.
Comment by Papa2008 Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:29 am
$2 when the payout is north of $800,000,000. Most I’ve ever won is $5.
Comment by Save Ferris Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:35 am
When the powerball or mega millions breaks 750 Million, I buy 20 bucks worth of tickets for each drawing. I’m not sure why 750M is my number, afterall a million bucks would be just as life changing. About once a month, I’ll buy 3 to 5 bucks worth of scratchoff tickets.
Comment by Just Another Anon Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:39 am
Not a scratch-off person, though mom sometimes includes them in Christmas cards.
Will play Mega Millions and Powerball a couple times a year when the pot hits insane levels and I happen to notice the $$$$ Stevenson billboards.
Like the guy who bought the scratch off in Morris, we all want to retire early.
Comment by George Ryan Reynolds Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:39 am
i HAVE WON $15,000 ON the Pick 4 game
Comment by JMJ Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:44 am
I’ll drop $10 when mega/power gets really up there but that’s it.
I won $2,000 once but the ticket was given to me. A woman’s car had broken down and I helped her out. About a week later I got a card with the ticket inside. She played the same numbers so we both won.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:50 am
the big prize/quick pick every once in a while. no luck. the scratchers, a particular kind, and wins once $1k, a few times under $600 and lots of win back the price wins.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 11:56 am
The opposite of this story should be printed. It’s not the lottery directly that is a problem, it’s the habits of playing the lottery that is the problem.
Had this gentleman had a habit of depositing money into a tax exempt retirement account for the past 50 years, with a 10k initial start and $25/week(the price of this ticket), he’d have…
2.3 Million tax-free dollars right now. Instead, he only has 2 Million which he has to pay taxes on reducing it even more.
Maybe we should teach that marshmallow experiment in schools - everyone always seems to want the one marshmallow right now, instead of getting two of them but just a bit later.
According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt within a few years.
“So, I guess I’m buying an RV now”
And that’s why.
So to answer the question. I’ve spent $0 on the lottery. Yes. I’m the buzzkill in the thread - but I also thankfully won’t be waiting until I’m 66 to retire.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:00 pm
I don’t need to get gas that often but when I do I’ll often grab some tickets just to have a reason to daydream.
Additionally, I wish the ILGA would permit the winners to remain private, if they wish. For me, it would just be a personal and family security thing.
Comment by The Captain Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:00 pm
I prefer the St. Patrick’s Day sweepstakes. At least I know there will be winners on the 18th (though never me…)
Comment by Proud Sucker Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:00 pm
I give scratchers as stocking stuffers some years, but I don’t think I’ve ever bought one for myself. Like others, if the Mega or Powerball get large enough, I’ve indulged in a ticket. But I don’t have a specific #, and have probably only followed through on my intention to buy a ticket a few times.
Given my rare purchases, it shouldn’t be surprising that I haven’t won anything substantial. As far as I know, neither have the recipients of my scratch-off stocking stuffers.
Comment by Leslie K Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:08 pm
Only play the basic scratch-offs a few times in a decade, winning maybe $10 in total. Never tried Powerball or Mega.
Comment by thisjustinagain Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:13 pm
@ TheInvisibleMan
There have been countless stories written about the dangers of playing the lottery… not hard to find them.
I don’t even play the lottery either so not like I’m defending my own vices here.
Comment by wowie Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:27 pm
Scratch off tickets are the lottery version of slot machines. I would much rather play the slots than buy lottery tickets. The “free” drinks at the casino are a nice little bonus too.
I did once prank a buddy with a fake $10,000 scratch off ticket. It was brilliant. But we don’t don’t talk much these days. I think he found it less funny than me.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:31 pm
About 30 years our work group won $175K on Lotto or whatewver was a weekly game back then. Had all the numbers but the lucky ball or whatever. Can’t remember what the jackpot was that week.
Cleared around $12K each. As I recall most everyone used their winnings for something that was needed around the home or for the family.
Only thing I wished was that we had had less people in the pool!!!!
Comment by Product of the '60's Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:32 pm
I buy powerball or megamillion tickets when the prize gets huge, like $300+ million lump sum. I know it is still negative expected value, but I’ll drop 10 bucks just to fantasize about the possible win.
Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:35 pm
Never scratchers, but after a bad day at work I might play PowerBall or Megamillions. The thing is I almost never go in anywhere that sells them so even then it has to be a pretty bad day.
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:42 pm
==I wish the ILGA would permit the winners to remain private, if they wish. For me, it would just be a personal and family security thing.==
They already did that (mostly). From the Winner’s Handbook:
“Will the Illinois Lottery publicly release my name and city of residence absent a request under applicable law?
“This depends on the prize amount. If your prize is $250,000 or more, at the time of claiming the prize, you may submit a written request on the Illinois Lottery claim form to keep your name and city of residence confidential from public disclosure. However, the Illinois Lottery may release your name and municipality of residence pursuant to an Illinois Freedom of Information Act request or if legally mandated to do so.”
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 12:46 pm
I feel like I have won already I have never bought a lottery ticket. I guess you have no chance at all then, but I just don’t buy them. Granted if I won a million, I could figure out a way to deal with the hassles!
Comment by clec dcn Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:33 pm
Never.
I thought winners were not allowed to remain anonymous?
Comment by Dave Dahl Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:40 pm
I buy a ticket a couple times a week and observe a spending limit of $25 per month. I like playing the $1 daily lotto mostly, but sometimes the big lotto on Saturdays and something mega or powerful when a multistate jackpot is the talk of the town. The most I’ve won is $56.
Comment by yinn Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:42 pm
About once every 2 to 3 months or so.
Never won more than $10
Comment by OneMan Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:45 pm
Occasionally buy a lottery ticket, haven’t ever picked a winner myself unless you maybe count getting picked by the draft lottery.
Comment by Flapdoodle Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:46 pm
I won $4 from last night though!
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 1:54 pm
I probably drop $20-30 a year. Won a couple of bigger prizes (under 500), and a lot of them under 100. Prob not broken even, but had a lot of fun. As entertainment value, it is not much different than seeing a movie or having a drink after a hard day at work. If you expect to win, you have not consulted the odds.
Comment by Jibba Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 2:33 pm
I rarely buy a ticket and much prefer a sure thing…I wonder if billionaires buy lottery tickets?…as an aside.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 2:44 pm
Just think if you could avoid a lightning strike for a buck.
Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 2:46 pm
I like the $20K per month for 20 years — hit $100 several times nothing bigger. Only Mega Ball when jackpot crosses into the billion+ range. Better luck with video poker. There should be a Capt Fax scratch off
Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 2:52 pm
- Yes. I’m the buzzkill in the thread - but I also thankfully won’t be waiting until I’m 66 to retire.-
No living person knows if they will be living one hour from right now…here today, gone today.
Life is always a gamble…so…take a chance?
Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 2:56 pm
“No living person knows if they will be living one hour from right now”
Given he bought the ticket when he was 66, that isn’t making the point you think it is.
Had he ‘taken the chance’ of saving instead of the lottery over those many decades, he already would be retired - with more money than this. Much more. After taxes, probably twice as much more just using the historical rates of return which have already happened over that time period.
Nobody may know how long they have on this mortal coil. But a lot more people should know what happens if you don’t plan for your future over decades - and then you eventually arrive at that future.
If you don’t make it to 66, then you won’t be buying lottery tickets either - much less retiring.
Still having a boss and working every day at 66, is not really a great payout on the risk/reward spectrum.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 3:13 pm
I’ll buy a couple of tickets if I hear the jackpot is high and am in a gas station. And everyone great once in a while I’ll buy $20 in scratch offs but I don’t think I’ve ever won more than $10 on a ticket.
Comment by Jaguar Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 3:26 pm
Almost never buy lottery tickets, and I think the biggest payout I’ve won was $21
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 4:04 pm
Never bought a ticket and essentially followed the approach TheInvisibleMan described. And I retired at 57.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 5:04 pm
Less than once a year, never won anything. It’s a rare bit of entertainment.
Comment by Odysseus Wednesday, Sep 20, 23 @ 5:39 pm