Aurora woman paying it forward after winning $1M on scratch-off ticket

AURORA, Ill. — A woman won $1 million on a scratch-off ticket bought at a liquor store in Aurora.

Antoinette ‘Toni’ Green struck it rich off a $10 MONOPOLY 50X scratch-off ticket from the Illinois Lottery, that was bought at Ruby’s Liquor, located at 1535 Butterfield Road.

Her first thought? How she could pay it forward.

“I’ve given away over $100,000 already,” shared Toni. “When I was blessed with this prize, I knew I was finally in a position to give back, to help my friends and family, and to pay it forward.”

Green, who was a longtime school bus driver before the pandemic and most recently a Certified Medical Assistant, has taken care of others as long as she can remember.

“The clerk couldn’t believe it and I couldn’t believe it,” exclaimed Toni. “He said ‘Toni, sign your ticket and go straight home – you won a million dollars!’ I sat in my car in front of Ruby’s in total shock, and then I had an epiphany – I can help others, I can make a difference in somebody’s life with this money.’”

Green said she “it’s not about what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for others.”

For selling the winning ticket, Ruby’s Liquor will receive a bonus of one percent of the prize amount, or $10,000.

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