'Speechless': Jammed lottery machine turns out to be lucky when Illinois man wins big
The winner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, says that he and his wife have been laughing about how mad he was when the machine jammed and he played a game he didn't want out of frustration
A lottery machine jam turned out to be a blessing after it made one Illinois Lottery player $9.2 million richer.
The winning $2 Lotto ticket was purchased on Aug. 24 in Addison, about 20 miles west of Chicago. The lucky winner, who chose to remain anonymous, did not claim his prize for some time, the Illinois Lottery said.
“It was a normal day, just like any other. I was picking up groceries ... and on my way out the door I decided to buy a lottery ticket," the winner told Illinois Lottery officials.
“I actually wanted to buy a ticket for a different game and the machine got stuck on Lotto,” he continued. “I was a bit frustrated.”
After waiting for the machine to cooperate, the man gave up.
“I said, ‘What is going on? The machine won’t give me the right game,’” he said. “So, I decided I may as well buy the Lotto ticket.”
The winning numbers were: 2, 15, 21, 29, 42 and 44.
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Million-dollar winner is ‘grateful’ for lottery win
The morning after the drawing, he said he scanned the ticket at a machine to see if it was a winner.
“When the machine showed the $9.2 million prize amount, I couldn’t believe it," he said. “I looked at my wife and she was completely speechless ... We are laughing over how angry I was at the broken machine – and we're so grateful for how it all turned out.”
The lottery said it's the second largest prize won with the Lotto game so far this year. The largest Lotto prize was won in February, when a player won $10.4 million.
What are the odds of winning the Lotto?
The odds of winning any Lotto prize on a basic ticket are 1 in 7.36, the Illinois Lottery said.
The odds of winning any Lotto prize with added Extra Shot feature are 1 in 5.68, the lottery said.
Where to buy tickets
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the Paste BN Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the Paste BN Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.