News writer, Interviewer
A lucky Illinois Lottery player just hit the jackpot, and a local store is celebrating along with them. Jay's Fresh Market in Stone Park sold a Lotto ticket worth $4.1 million for the September 28 drawing.
The jackpot-winning ticket matched all six numbers: 1-11-15-16-34-41. This life-changing win has stirred excitement in the community, located about 15 miles west of downtown Chicago.
September 2024 was a lucky month for Illinois Lottery players. Over 435,000 winning Lotto tickets were sold, with prizes totaling more than $5.5 million.
Minesh Patel, owner of Jay's Fresh Market, initially thought the news was a prank. He said:
When we first heard about it, we thought it was fake or a joke. But the morning after the drawing, a customer came in and said, 'Did you see? Somebody won the Lotto jackpot last night, and they bought their ticket here!' That's when we realized it was real – I was so surprised and excited.
Patel hopes the winner is a regular customer. "I have no idea who the winner is, but I really hope it's one of our regulars, most of whom we know by name," he added.
A win for the retailer
For selling the winning ticket, Jay's Fresh Market will receive a $41,000 bonus. Patel plans to use this windfall to improve the store, focusing on security and technology upgrades. He aims to protect his five loyal employees who've been with the business since it opened in 2017.
This isn't the first big win for Jay's Fresh Market. A few years ago, they sold a $75,000 winning scratch-off ticket.
All about Lotto
Lotto is an Illinois-only $2 jackpot game that offers three chances to become a millionaire with each play. Here's what you need to know:
- Each play enters your numbers into three separate drawings
- Jackpot drawing: Prizes range from $2 up to the jackpot
- Lotto Million 1 and Lotto Million 2: Each offers a $1,000,000 prize
Drawings are held Monday, Thursday, and Saturday at 9:22 p.m. CT. Results are available on the Illinois Lottery website, app, Daily Drawings page, and YouTube channel.
For an additional $1 per game, players can add Extra Shot. This gives them a chance to increase non-jackpot prize winnings. The Extra Shot number is randomly drawn during the Jackpot drawing.
You can purchase tickets in-store, online, or through the Illinois Lottery app.
The lucky winner has one year from the drawing date to claim their prize. The Illinois Lottery advises winners to sign the back of their ticket and keep it safe until they're ready to claim.
Illinois Lottery's impact
Since its founding in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed over $24 billion to the State's Common School Fund, supporting K-12 public education. This fund receives nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds.
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