'Play these numbers': Illinois woman takes mother's advice, wins $1M lottery jackpot

CHICAGO - A southern Illinois woman became a millionaire after playing a set of family numbers her mother once urged her to keep using.

What we know:

The Illinois Lottery said the woman, who chose to remain anonymous, matched all six numbers in a Lotto Million 2 drawing, winning a $1 million jackpot. An additional $5 prize on another line brought her total winnings to $1,000,005.

The numbers she played, 2-14-16-31-40-46, were based on family birthdays and anniversaries, a tradition passed down from her mother.

Her mother had used the same numbers years earlier but missed out on a $6.4 million jackpot after forgetting to submit the ticket.

"The numbers were drawn exactly as she had them—she just never played the ticket," the winner said. "So my mother told me, ‘Play these numbers. One day, they’ll hit.’"

That prediction came true with the March 21 drawing.

A southern Illinois iLottery player poses with a playful prop after winning $1,000,005 playing Lotto. | Provided

After confirming the win by email, the woman shared the news with her family.

"My husband, daughter, and I were at home in disbelief," she said. "I asked myself, ‘Is this really true?’"

Her future plans:

The winner said she plans to take her family on an all-inclusive trip to the Bahamas, purchase new cars and invest part of the prize in her daughter’s education.

"We’re just normal, everyday people," she said. "This win is truly a blessing from my mother."

What you can do:

Lotto is an Illinois-only game available in stores, online and through the Illinois Lottery app. Drawings are held on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.