A woman is planning on giving back to over a dozen family members after winning $1 million from a $10 scratch-off lottery ticket that was sold at a grocery store in Cary.
The winning scratch-off ticket, Ultimate Bonus Payout, was purchased at Jewel-Osco at 696 Northwest Highway in Cary.
The store will receive 1% of the prize amount — or $10,000 — as a reward for selling the winning ticket.
A spur-of-the-moment decision turned into a life-changing windfall for the Illinois Lottery player who won the $1 million prize on the $10 scratch-off ticket.
“I was planning to buy a different scratch-off game,” said the winner, who chose to remain anonymous under the nickname “Wishing Fish.”
“But as I looked over the other options, this ticket stood out. It was as if my vision blocked out all the other tickets—this one was meant to be,” she said.
The woman recalled the unforgettable moment she realized she had won.
“I was at home eating a chocolate bar with the song Money by Pink Floyd playing in the background. I scratched the last symbol and immediately FaceTimed my son, repeating over and over, ‘I’m going to have a heart attack—I just won $1 million!'”
The woman said she has a desire to pay it forward by sharing the winnings with about 15 family members.
“I plan to share the winnings with about 15 family members, with my three kids—who are now grown—getting the biggest share. I’m also helping a close friend with four children get settled into an apartment,” she said.
The woman also said she wants to buy a car with a sunroof and take a vacation somewhere in the Florida Keys with her husband where she can swim with dolphins.
The win marks the 35th scratch-off prize worth $1 million or more claimed by an Illinois Lottery player in 2025, lottery officials said.
More than 35 million winning scratch-off tickets have been sold statewide, awarding over $937 million in total prizes, so far this year.
The Illinois Lottery said it encourages winners to write their name on the back of their ticket and keep it in a safe place until they are ready to claim their prize.
Winners have one year from the date of the winning draw to claim their prize.