$3 million scratch-off ticket sold at Illinois gas station
Photo courtesy: BP, 111 NW 5th St, Woodhull (Google Maps)
WOODHULL, Ill. - An Illinois town is buzzing with excitement after a local gas station sold a $3 million winning scratch-off ticket.
The winning 200X Payout Instant Ticket was purchased at the Woodhull BP gas station located at 111 NW 5th Street for $30.
A lucky Illinois Lottery player scored the top prize of $3 million.
Woodhull has a population of 750 and is located 30 miles southeast of Moline and 65 miles northwest of Peoria.
For selling the winning ticket, the BP station will receive a cash bonus of one percent of the prize amount, in this case $30,000.
"I am so excited but still can’t believe it," Jennifer Damer, store manager at the BP in Woodhull said. "It’s so surprising to me that our local, little gas station sold a ticket that won such a big prize."
Damer says the whole town hopes the winner is a local.
"We are the go-to stop for many townfolk, including farmers who live nearby and truck drivers passing through," Damer said. "Most of them even sit for a while and enjoy our freshly-made breakfast biscuits and chat about the news and weather each morning. In fact, if our regulars aren’t here in the mornings, we know something is wrong."
Philip Edat, owner of the BP in Woodhull, says his is excited to share the bonus with his seven loyal employees.
So far this year, over 52 million winning scratch-off lottery tickets have been sold, netting over $1 billion in total prizes, according to the Illinois Lottery.