A lucky winner, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed a $1 million prize from the Illinois Lottery after matching all six numbers in the April 3 Lotto drawing: 1-11-16-21-26-44. The winner collected the prize at the Illinois Lottery prize center in Rockford last week.
“I’ve never been a big lottery player, and I’ve never won anything big in my life, until now,” the winner told the Illinois Lottery. “I thought I had just won back the $2 I spent on the ticket, but it turns out I won $1 million!”
Excited by the news, the winner shared the incredible outcome with their father, who verified the numbers, and a close friend, who responded with a series of smiley-face emojis. The prize money will help fund a family vacation, with Egypt topping the list as a surprise destination for the winner’s niece.
This marks the third time in 2024 that an Illinois Lottery player has won $1 million or more through the Lotto game. Earlier in February, a $10.4 million jackpot was won in Des Plaines on February 8, followed by another $1 million win on February 17 through the Lotto Million 1 game.
Lotto is an Illinois-only game drawn three times a week: Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. In addition to the main jackpot, players also have the chance to win $1 million through the Lotto Million 1 and Lotto Million 2 games. For an additional $1, players can opt for the “Extra Shot,” boosting their chances of winning non-jackpot prizes.
