A routine work break turned life changing for Cynthia, a Granite City resident, when a $10 Money Match scratch-off ticket revealed a $1,000,000 top prize. She said she was so shocked by the win that her husband initially thought she was joking. The lucky ticket was purchased at Curly's Corner Market, which will receive a sales bonus for selling the winner. Cynthia said she plans to use the windfall on home improvements, a new car, trips with her grandchildren and a long overdue honeymoon.
How the win unfolded
According to FOX 32 Chicago, the Illinois Lottery released details of the win on Friday and identified the ticket as a $10 Money Match scratch-off. Cynthia told the outlet she "had to look twice" at the ticket before a coworker confirmed it was a winner, and said her husband at first assumed the call about the jackpot was a prank.
Winner's plans and reaction
RiverBender reports that Cynthia and her husband of 17 years never had a honeymoon and now are planning a trip to France. She told the outlet she started shaking when she realized the ticket had hit the top prize and immediately began calling friends and family to share the news.
Retailer bonus and statewide context
Per FOX 32 Chicago, Curly’s Corner Market will receive a $10,000 bonus (1% of the prize) for selling the winning ticket. The Illinois Lottery also notes that this year nearly 22 million instant tickets have been sold and players have claimed more than $606 million in prizes, a snapshot of how quickly smaller wins add up statewide.
What this means locally
The jackpot is a feel-good win for a regular shopper and a modest economic bump for a neighborhood store in Granite City. The Illinois Lottery keeps a running list of big instant-ticket wins and retailer bonuses on its website for anyone curious about recent payouts: Illinois Lottery.
