A newly retired Illinois man wins $1 million in a lottery game

An Illinois woman is $1 million richer, and the timing couldn’t have been better.

The woman, who chose to remain anonymous, purchased the winning ticket at a Thorntons gas station in suburban Aurora earlier this year. It just so happens that the prize comes right after she retired.

“I’m in my sixties,” she said. “This win came at a great time. I just retired last year, and this will help my retirement be that much more comfortable.”

A fascinating series of events led up to her decision to purchase the ticket. “I usually stick to what I know, like the $5-10 instant tickets,” she said.

“But when one of my $10 scratch-off tickets won $100, I decided to try out this new $50 scratch-off ticket. I couldn’t believe I won $1 million. I had to scan the ticket twice to make sure.”

That scratch-off game, called “$10 Million,” is the first to come with the $50 price tag in Illinois.