Lottery player’s last-second decision nets life-changing win. ‘Feels like it was fate’

An Illinois parent has been mocked for playing the lottery, but now, the rest of the family will reap the rewards.

The lottery player is sharing their jackpot prize with their family after winning $12 million on a 20 Years of Cash scratch-off ticket purchased in Niles, according to a March 29 news release from the Illinois Lottery.

The player, who remained anonymous, credited a last-second decision for the big win.

“It feels like it was fate,” the player told Illinois Lottery officials. “I was actually about to purchase a different ticket when I noticed the 20 Years of Cash ticket number matched my birthday, so I decided to try that one. Boy, am I glad I did!”

The $12 million will be paid in increments of $50,000 a month for 20 years. Odds of winning the jackpot in the game are 1-in-3,360,000.

After the parent saw their prize amount, an immediate phone call was placed to their son.

“I wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it with my own eyes, so we had to rush over,” the son told lottery officials. “I wanted to read the rules, double check the numbers, and make sure it was, in fact, a winning ticket. It’s safe to say, while we’re all still in shock, we feel like one very lucky family.”

The winner joked about not sharing their winnings because their sons poke fun about the lottery. But instead, the family will splurge, making plans to vacation so they “can celebrate together.”

“I don’t need a lot of things, that’s something I’ve always said and believed. I just want time with my family,” the winner said. “As I get older, the memories and time together is even more important for me,” the player said.

Niles is a northwest suburb of Chicago.

This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Lottery player’s last-second decision nets life-changing win. ‘Feels like it was fate’."