'Lucky family' wins $12 million playing Illinois Lottery scratch-off ticket

NILES, Ill. - A family is planning a lavish vacation after striking it rich with a $12 million win on a scratch-off ticket purchased in the Chicago area.

"It feels like it was fate," the winner said.

The family struck luck with the "20 Years of Cash" scratch-off lottery ticket, purchased from the Jewel-Osco in Niles, located at 7900 North Milwaukee Avenue.

"I was actually about to purchase a different ticket when I noticed the 20 Years of Cash ticket number matched my birthday, so I decided to try that one. Boy, am I glad I did!" the winner exclaimed.

20 Years of Cash | Provided

The winner revealed that while they would occasionally face teasing from loved ones for purchasing scratch-off tickets, this time it paid off.

"My sons don’t play the lottery and they love to give me a hard time when I buy my tickets occasionally, so I’d always joke with them saying, ‘When I win, I won’t give you any!’," they said jokingly.

"I immediately called my son and squealed ‘I think I won big!' Next thing I know, he’s yelling at his fiancée to get out of the bathroom so they could come over to see the ticket," the winner added.

The son expressed his disbelief, stating, "I wasn’t going to believe it until I saw it with my own eyes, so we had to rush over. I wanted to read the rules, double check the numbers, and make sure it was, in fact, a winning ticket. It’s safe to say, while we’re all still in shock, we feel like one very lucky family."

Lucky Family wins $12 million in Niles | Provided

The $12 million win represented the last top prize available for the "20 Years of Cash" scratch-off game, which debuted in February 2020. The Jewel-Osco that sold the ticket will receive a bonus of $120,000 — one percent of the prize amount.

When asked about their plans with the winnings, the fortunate family said, "We are going to splurge and take our whole family on a vacation so we can celebrate together."

For more information about the Illinois Lottery, visit their website.