Lucky Illinois Woman Wins Massive Jackpot With Forgotten Lottery Ticket

An extremely fortunate Illinois woman won a massive lottery prize from a ticket that she nearly forgot she purchased. According to an Illinois Lottery press release, the Franklin Park native purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart located at 1050 North Rohlwing Road in Addison. When she discovered that she'd just won a million dollars, she could hardly believe her eyes!

“I was at Walmart the other night when I saw the new Celebration Instant Tickets and they caught my eye, so I bought a $10 one. I didn’t think anything of it. I actually put it in my purse and forgot about it until the next morning.”

The lucky winner continued, mentioning that she had to double check with her daughter just to make sure she actually won the jackpot.

“I started scratching the ticket and saw I had a matching number for a million dollars. I thought it was a mistake. I immediately woke up my daughter. I told her to run out to the store to scan it to double check and make sure it’s real. She got to the store, scanned the ticket, called me and said, ‘It’s real. You’re getting a million dollars, Mom.’”

The woman believes that the ticket is actually a blessing from her late husband whom she lost last year.

“I have five children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. My husband and I were married for forty-nine years until he passed away in October. He was the breadwinner and took care of all of us. I truly believe this winning ticket is a blessing from him.”

Information regarding what the winner plans to do with the money she won has yet to be revealed.