A stroke of serendipity turned an ordinary coffee stop into a $2 million windfall for one Shorewood man, who struck lottery gold with a $20 scratch-off ticket. Known only by his moniker “Classic Car Collector,” this lucky individual added to his bank account and, undoubtedly, his car collection in a moment that sits on the brink of believability.
Stopping by Lenny's Gas N Wash located at 1201 W. Jefferson Street, a suburb roughly 45 miles southwest of Chicago, the winner intended to grab a cup of coffee. Instead, he found himself drawn to the ticket's purple color flashing on the store's screen, a $20 Mega Bucks ticket that was about to alter his life substantially. According to a CBS News Chicago interview, while standing in disbelief after scratching the ticket in his car, "As more and more zeroes started to appear, and then the final $2,000,000, I just couldn't believe it."
Reality's weight seemed to stagger credulity as even the lottery machine's declaration of 'WINNER' failed to convince him until the store clerk also got involved. After putting on her glasses, she echoed the ticket's pronouncement with a scream. The winner's recounting of the event to ABC7 Chicago was one of shock and awe: "I must've been standing there for a while because the clerk came over and asked if something was wrong, so I showed her the ticket - she put on her glasses, took one look, and screamed!"
When the news reached his wife, disbelief was the chorus of the moment. Seeming to faint, she mirrored his incredulity back at him. After eventually conveying the news, "Classic Car Collector" is excited to expand his vehicular treasures, sharing with CBS News Chicago, "With this win, I'd like to buy a few acres of land, add another beauty to my collection, and store it there for whenever I want to take a joyride."
Lenny's Gas N Wash, no stranger to lotto luck, having sold a $2 million Mega Millions ticket in December 2023, is set to receive a dealer’s bonus of $20,000 for selling the winning scratch-off.
