Loves Park man wins $1 million Powerball; $10,000 instant ticket prize in the same week

It’s been a winning summer for one lucky Illinois Lottery player from Loves Park, who won a $1 million Powerball prize the same week he claimed a $10,000 prize from the “$5 Million Jackpot” instant ticket.

The winning journey for the player, who chose to remain anonymous, started on July 28 when he went to an Illinois Lottery claim center to collect his $10,000 prize. “I was excited because it was the largest win I ever had,” the player explained.

When he was driving home from the claim center, he stopped for gas and decided to also buy tickets for some of his favorite jackpot games at Loves Park Mobil, 6224 N. 2nd St.

The player said, “I bought my tickets and put them straight into my pocket until Tuesday after the draw; that’s the day I usually like to check my tickets.”

When he checked his tickets on Aug. 4, he had matched five of the numbers on his Powerball ticket for the Aug. 1 drawing, winning a $1 million prize. “I walked into my girlfriend’s house and yelled ‘Yahoo!’ She couldn’t believe it either and started crying,” the player said.

The Loves Park resident has been playing Illinois Lottery games since its inception and is looking forward to sharing his prize money with his community. “I have a list of all of my favorite charities that I want to donate money to, such as Smile Train and Operation Smile. It’s important to give back,” the player said. When asked if he will continue playing Illinois Lottery games, he said, “I will certainly keep playing. It’s one of my favorite things to do.”

The Powerball jackpot is now at an estimated $75 million jackpot, with a cash option of $59.9 million. Powerball tickets are $2 per play and are sold in 48 jurisdictions nationwide. Drawings are broadcast live every Wednesday and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. CT. For more information or to buy tickets online, please visit illinoislottery.com.