Illinois woman wins $1M on scratch-off ticket she almost didn't buy

CARY, Ill. - An Illinois woman who nearly chose a different game ended up winning $1 million on a scratch-off lottery ticket.

What we know:

The Illinois Lottery said the winner, who went by the nickname "Wishing Fish," picked up the $10 Ultimate Bonus Payout ticket on a whim from a Jewel-Osco at 696 Northwest Hwy in Cary.

Ultimate Bonus Payout scratch-off ticket | Provided by Illinois Lottery

The store will receive a $10,000 bonus—1% of the prize—for selling the ticket.

Wishing Fish had originally intended to buy a different scratch-off, but said the winning ticket seemed to call to her.

"I was planning to buy a different scratch-off game," she said. "But as I looked over the other options, this ticket stood out. It was as if my vision blocked out all the other tickets—this one was meant to be."

She scratched the ticket at home while eating a chocolate bar with the song Money by Pink Floyd playing in the background.

"I scratched the last symbol and immediately FaceTimed my son, repeating over and over, ‘I’m going to have a heart attack—I just won $1 million!’"

What's next:

Wishing Fish says she plans to use the jackpot to pay it forward.

"I plan to share the winnings with about 15 family members, with my three kids—who are now grown—getting the biggest share. I’m also helping a close friend with four children get settled into an apartment."

A lottery dream comes true for an Illinois Lottery player dubbed ‘Wishing Fish,’ who won $1 million on a $10 scratch-off ticket. | Provided by Illinois Lottery

As for treating herself, she wants to check some things off her bucket list.

"I want to buy a car with a sunroof and take a vacation somewhere in the Keys with my husband where I can swim with dolphins," she said.

By the numbers:

Her win is the 35th Illinois Lottery scratch-off prize of $1 million or more in 2025.

More than 35 million winning scratch-off tickets have been sold across Illinois so far this year, and those tickets have paid out over $937 million in total prizes.

Scratch-off games range in price from $1 to $50 and are sold at around 7,000 retail locations statewide.