Harold Mays, Director Of The Illinois Department Of The Lottery | Illinois Lottery
Harold Mays, Director Of The Illinois Department Of The Lottery | Illinois Lottery
An Illinois Lottery player from Chicago has won a $650,000 Lucky Day Lotto jackpot by using numbers associated with his late wife. The winner, who goes by the alias "Big Money D," shared that he typically plays Pick 4 but decided to try something different when he noticed the high jackpot for the Lucky Day Lotto.
"I picked numbers related to my late wife – when I won, it felt like it was a message from her," said Big Money D. The winning ticket for the November 16 evening draw was purchased at Mariano's in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood.
Big Money D expressed excitement and surprise over his win. "I’m still so shocked and excited about the win, I have barely been able to sleep!" he stated. He matched all five numbers in the draw: 9-11-12-13-17.
The winner plans to use his prize money to purchase a dream home for himself and his children. "I’m already looking at houses, and can’t wait to purchase my dream home for myself and my kids – it truly is a dream come true."
Mariano’s on North Sheridan will receive a one percent bonus of the prize amount, equating to $6,500, for selling the winning ticket.
The November 16 evening drawing saw more than 27,600 winning tickets sold, distributing over $724,000 in prizes among Illinois Lottery players. Lucky Day Lotto is an exclusive game in Illinois with drawings held twice daily.
Tickets are available for purchase in-store, online, or through the Illinois Lottery app. Additional information can be found on IllinoisLottery.com.
A reminder from Illinois Lottery notes that Lucky Day Lotto is a game of chance and emphasizes understanding game rules as part of responsible gaming practices. More details are available on their responsible gaming webpage.
The Illinois Lottery has contributed significantly to public education since its founding in 1974. Over $25 billion has been allocated to support K-12 education through the Common School Fund since 1985. Almost all proceeds go towards this fund with additional support provided for various causes under state law.
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