Late-Night Mix-Up Leads to Massive Illinois Lottery Win

A simple late-night mistake turned into a life-changing surprise for a southern Illinois woman.

Holly, a retired teacher from Johnston City, was relaxing at home watching a movie when she accidentally bought a $20 FastPlay ticket instead of the $2 game she meant to play. At first, she cringed at the extra spend. Moments later, that “oops” paid off in a huge way.

The accidental purchase hit a $250,000 jackpot on the Illinois Lottery’s Magnificent Multiplier game.

When the win popped up on her screen, Holly thought something was wrong. Sitting at her home office desk, she assumed her computer had frozen or crashed. The reality didn’t sink in right away.

Sharing the news with her husband was just as unexpected. Before she could even explain, he joked that she must be up late making a meme. Her response stopped him cold: she hadn’t made a meme—she’d won the jackpot.

Now, Holly plans to put her winnings toward building a new family home and treating herself to a baby grand piano to fuel her love of music.

Why FastPlay stands out:

• Instant results—no waiting

• No number picks, slips, or scratching

• Play anytime, online or in-store

• Multiple price points and game styles