CHICAGO, IL (Chambana Today) — A Granite City woman is celebrating a life-changing lottery win after claiming a $1 million top prize on an Illinois Lottery scratch-off ticket purchased at her favorite local store.
Cynthia of Granite City won the prize playing the $10 Money Match instant ticket game after purchasing the ticket at Curly’s Corner Market, located at 527 Maryville Road in Granite City.
“I shop at this store almost every day — the staff know me by name,” Cynthia said in a statement released by the Illinois Lottery. “I wanted to try a different game, so I picked this one.”
According to lottery officials, Cynthia discovered the winning ticket while on a break at work.
“I had to look twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things,” she said. “One of my coworkers even checked in on me — I started shaking.”
Cynthia said she immediately called her husband, who initially thought she was joking.
“He thought I was pranking him because I could barely get the words out,” she said. “It still feels like a dream.”
The winning ticket also brought a bonus to the store that sold it. Curly’s Corner Market will receive $10,000, equal to 1% of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket.
Cynthia said she plans to use the money for home improvements, a new car, a trip to Disney with her grandchildren and a honeymoon with her husband.
“My husband and I have been married for 17 years but never had a honeymoon,” she said. “You bet we’re going to one of the most romantic places in the world — France.”
The Illinois Lottery said nearly 22 million winning instant tickets have been sold statewide so far this year, with more than $606 million in prizes claimed.