"When I checked the app and saw it was $350,000, everything changed," April, one of the two winners, told Illinois Lottery officials
Illinois Lottery
NEED TO KNOW
- April and Randy, two friends and co-workers, won Illinois Lottery’s Lucky Day Lotto game following a Jan, 7 drawing
- The two earlier thought they won $350 until they checked the app and saw it was $350,000
- Randy and April told lottery officials they will split the winnings, which will go toward property investments, retirement savings and a vacation
Two co-workers and friends in Illinois initially believed they had just won only $350 from playing a lottery game — until they realized their prize was missing three more zeroes.
According to the Illinois Lottery, one of the winners, identified as Randy, purchased a Lucky Day Lotto game ticket at the Jewel-Osco at 177 E. Roosevelt Rd., in West Chicago. He and his co-worker April have played the lottery together for a number of years.
“I was taking my wife to a doctor’s appointment and decided to make a quick stop,” Randy told lottery officials. “We were at the right place at the right time.”
The results from the Jan. 7 Lucky Day Lotto evening drawing were 2-4-6-27-39, and Randy and April’s ticket matched all five numbers.
“We were in total disbelief,” April later told Illinois Lottery officials. “At first, Randy thought we’d only won $350 and joked about buying more tickets. When I checked the app and saw it was $350,000, everything changed.”
The two friends had always agreed to split any winnings if their lucky day arrived, which it did.
“People always told us, ‘You’re never going to win,’” Randy said, per the lottery. “But we’d laugh and say, ‘One day we’ll hit it.’”
Randy and April told the lottery that their winnings will go toward property investments, retirement savings and a vacation.
“My wife wants to go to Ireland,” Randy said, per the lottery’s news release. “But since I don’t fly, I might be getting a tattoo instead.”
The Illinois Lottery said the Jewel-Osco location will receive $3,500 as a bonus for selling the winning ticket.
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The Lucky Day Lotto game has two daily drawings with jackpots starting at $100,000, said the lottery.
An Illinois woman won a Lucky Day Lotto prize, also worth $350,000, on Christmas Day of last year.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, please contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-522-4700 or go to gamtalk.org
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