Downstate Illinois Lottery winner scores $14.6M, largest prize of the year

EAST SAINT LOUIS, Ill. - A downstate Illinois Lottery winner is $14.6 million richer after scoring the biggest prize of the year.

What we know:

The winning ticket was sold on Monday at a Crown Mart in East Saint Louis. The winning Lotto numbers were 5-9-14-18-22-23, according to a news release.

"Our phone has been ringing off the hook with customers calling to congratulate us for selling the jackpot-winning Lotto ticket," said Ed Hamed, store manager. "In my nine years managing this location, this is the biggest winning ticket we’ve ever sold. We are thrilled for the winner and couldn’t be more excited."

Ed Hamed, store manager at Crown Mart in East Saint Louis, Illinois, sold a winning $14.6 million Lotto jackpot ticket. (Illinois Lottery)

For selling the winning ticket, the Crown Mart will receive a $146,000 bonus, about 1% of the prize amount.

The $14.6 million prize surpasses the previous largest jackpot winning of $10.4 million on Feb. 8.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit IllinoisLottery.com.