Rockford Woman Wins $500,000 on Holiday Bucks Scratch-Off
ROCKFORD, Ill. – Talk about a holiday surprise! An Illinois Lottery player, who asked to go by “Jessie,” just won $500,000 on a $10 Holiday Bucks scratch-off ticket.
Jessie picked up the winning ticket at the Walmart on Northridge Drive while running errands. “I was in a rush and just scratched the barcode before scanning it at the machine,” she said. “When ‘$500,000’ popped up on the screen, I couldn’t believe my eyes!”
At first, she thought it was a mistake. “I thought the machine was just showing the potential prize, not what I’d actually won,” Jessie laughed. After confirming with a clerk—and whispering, “Don’t tell anyone!”—she celebrated quietly with her husband over the phone in the parking lot. “He shouted, ‘ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Leave the store now—and don’t let the ticket fly out the car window!’ I think I made him a nervous wreck,” she said.
The winning ticket was one of the top prizes in the $10 Holiday Bucks game, which launched earlier this month. The Walmart store that sold the ticket will also receive a $10,000 bonus.
Jessie says she plans to spread the joy. “I want to treat my family, but I also hope to help kids in my community have a magical holiday season,” she said.
The Illinois Lottery reports that over 48.6 million winning instant tickets have been sold this year, totaling more than $1.29 billion in prizes. Holiday-themed scratch-offs, ranging from $1 to $20, are available at nearly 7,000 retailers statewide.
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