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CHICAGO - An Illinois mom says a routine lottery play turned life-changing after she won an $800,000 jackpot.
The backstory:
The winner, who identified herself as "Jenny," purchased a Lucky Day Lotto ticket online using her children’s birthdays.
"My usual numbers are always a combination of my birthday and my kids’ birthdays," she said.
An Illinois Lottery player, nicknamed ‘Jenny,’ takes her celebratory photo after winning $800,000 playing Lucky Day Lotto. | Provided
Jenny's numbers — 8, 11, 15, 23 and 37 — matched all five drawn on March 13, winning her the $800,000 jackpot.
"I was in complete shock when I saw I had won," she said. "My reaction must have startled my daughter — she ran to get my husband to check on me."
Jenny called the moment "magical."
What's next:
Jenny said she plans to use the money to support her children’s education.
"This prize is a tremendous blessing that will help secure their academic pursuits," she said.
The family is also planning to celebrate with a vacation.
What you can do:
Lucky Day Lotto drawings are held twice daily in Illinois, and tickets can be purchased in-store, online or through the Illinois Lottery app.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Illinois Lottery.