Chicago area store sells $3M scratch-off, second multi-million winning ticket in 3 years
CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. - A liquor store in northwest suburban Chicago has good reason to deem their store "lucky" after selling its second multi-million dollar winning Illinois Lottery ticket in three years.
Shar’s Armanetti Fine Wines & Spirits in Carpentersville sold a winning jackpot scratch-off ticket worth $3 million to one of its regular customers. The customer spent $30 on Titanium Black 7s Instant Ticket and won the games top prize.
The store owner, Dhiren Patel, says the winner - who visits the store often - thanked him on the spot.
"She scratched the ticket right in front of me after purchasing it and I witnessed the shocked look on her face," Patel said. "She then came over closer to me and excitedly said ‘Pinch me, I need to make sure this is real! I won a big amount - thank you, thank you!’ It’s so exciting when the big wins go to our regular, local customers."
Shar’s Armanetti Fine Wines & Spirits in Carpentersville sold a $3 million winning scratch-off ticket to a regular customer. (Illinois Lottery)
This isn’t the first time the store has sold a big winning scratch-off ticket. Patel said he believes he may be a good luck charm.
"We must be a lucky location for Lottery players," Patel said. "Three years ago, in March of 2020, we had a $6 million Instant Ticket winner. It was during Covid, so business was quiet and sadly, we didn’t get to celebrate that win with the customer - so this is an especially exciting win for our store!"
For selling the winning ticket, Shar’s Armanetti Wines & Spirits will receive a bonus of 1% of the winning ticket, which amounts to $30,000.
Patel plans to use the bonus to make improvements to his business while also putting some money towards his kids’ college funds.
So far this year, 20 other Illinois Lottery players have become millionaires after winning on Instant Tickets.