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Winning Illinois Lottery ticket sold in Chicago suburb
An Illinois Lottery player is $650,000 richer after buying a Lucky Day Lotto ticket in the suburbs. The ticket was sold at the Berwyn Minimart and the owner said it might be one of their regular customers.
CHICAGO - A Cook County convenience store owner is celebrating after selling a winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket worth $650,000.
Mayurkumar Patel, who owns the Berwyn Minimart inside the Clark gas station at 1546 Lombard Avenue, said a regular customer told him the news.
"A regular customer came into our store the morning after the winning drawing and said ‘Your store sold a jackpot-winning ticket - I saw it on the website,’" Patel said. "I didn’t believe them until I went on the Illinois Lottery website and checked for myself. As soon as I saw my store listed as where the winning ticket was sold, my eyes went huge, my jaw dropped, and I burst out in laughter."
The winning ticket matched all five numbers in the Saturday, Oct. 5 evening drawing: 4-19-29-30-34.
After finding out they sold a $650,000 winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket, Berwyn Minimart store owner Mayurkumar Patel (far left), and employees Ankitkumar Patel (middle) and Pravinbhai Patel, are shocked and excited.
While Patel doesn't know who the winner is, he suspects it might be a familiar face.
"We have multiple regular customers who could be the big winner," Patel said. "Every time I see a customer come through the door now, I think, 'They might be the lucky one who won.' I hope the winner comes in and tells us, so we can share in the celebration with them."
The win brings good fortune to both the lucky ticket holder and the Berwyn Minimart. Retailers receive a one percent bonus commission for selling winning jackpot tickets, meaning Patel's store will earn $6,500.
"I have three wonderful employees who have worked here since I opened the store two years ago," Patel said. "I plan to treat them and celebrate with them. After all, they are the ones who sell our lottery tickets."
Photo courtesy: Berwyn Minimart, 1546 Lombard Avenue in Berwyn (Google Maps)
Winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prize. The Illinois Lottery recommends signing the back of winning tickets and storing them in a safe place.
Lucky Day Lotto is an Illinois-only game with drawings held twice daily at 12:40 p.m. and 9:22 p.m.