(AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
Lottery tickets are a common birthday gift for many, but for one suburban woman, this birthday treat to herself turned out to be life-changing.
According to the Illinois Lottery, one woman stopping for gas in Palos Heights this week decided to pick up a purple scratch-off ticket (her favorite color) for her birthday, a $25 Diamond Crossword 10X ticket.
“When I scratched the ticket in my car, I kept seeing wins that were getting bigger and bigger,” the lucky winner told the Illinois Lottery. “As I got to the end, I realized it was worth $1 million and I couldn’t believe it. I went back into the gas station to double check - and it was real. I instantly started crying and my legs felt like noodles - I didn’t think I would be able to drive home!”
The ticket was sold at the BP gas station located at 12700 South Harlem Avenue. For selling the winning ticket, the gas station will receive a bonus of $10,000, or 1% of the total jackpot.
“My husband and I work hard to provide for our family, and we want to be able to give our kids all the opportunities the world has to offer. This win will make a difference in our lives, and in theirs. Never in a million years did I think my life would change in an instant like this," the woman told the Illinois Lottery.
According to the Illinois Lottery, more than 10.4 million winning instant tickets have been sold in Illinois so far this year, amounting to more than $253 million in prizes.
More information on games offered by the Illinois Lottery can be found here.
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