Illinois Lottery player wins $2M on scratch-off ticket

SHOREWOOD, Ill. - An Illinois Lottery player won $2 million on a new $20 scratch-off ticket purchased at a gas station in Shorewood.

The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, bought the winning Mega Bucks ticket at Lenny’s Gas N Wash, 1201 W. Jefferson St., during a routine stop for coffee. The man said he was drawn to the ticket when its purple design lit up on the screen at the checkout counter.

What they're saying:

"As more and more zeroes started to appear, and then the final $2,000,000, I just couldn’t believe it," he said in a lottery press release. 

Still in disbelief, the winner returned to the store to confirm the ticket's validity, prompting a reaction from the clerk, who screamed when she saw the amount.

"I’ve got to get home and tell my wife," he said. "I kept saying, ‘I just won two million dollars!’ and at one point I thought she was going to faint."

The man said he plans to use his winnings to buy land and expand his classic car collection, a lifelong hobby.

By the numbers:

The Mega Bucks ticket only launched April 1, making this a top prize win just weeks after its release. Lenny’s Gas N Wash will also receive a $20,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

This marks the second major win for the retailer, which also sold a $2 million Mega Millions ticket in December 2023.

So far in 2025, Illinois Lottery players have claimed over $548 million in prizes from more than 20.8 million instant tickets sold.