Illinois man scoops $1M from Chicago scratch-off lottery ticket

• A player in Chicago, Illinois, scooped a $1,000,000 payday off a $10 scratch ticket
• The man was utterly surprised by his good fortune, but he already has a plan for the money
• The money will go towards college funds for his four grandchildren, as well as a long-overdue trip to Europe

A player in Chicago, Illinois, will definitely have reason to be happy after his $10 scratch card ticket turned into a $1,000,000 payday.

The player was quick to share his excitement with the lottery, claiming the prize at the Illinois Lottery headquarters, and posing for the customary photo with the outsized check.

The player, though, chose to remain anonymous, but did not hesitate to give an interview about how it felt to be a newly minted millionaire (minus federal and state taxes).

Illinois Lottery distinguishes the latest scratch-off winner millionaire

Nicknamed "Papa," the man said that it felt unbelievable to have won that much money. He didn’t even realize he had a winning ticket until he scanned it at the store, but much like with any other case of winning big, he had a hard time believing his luck.

"I didn’t even realize it was a winning ticket until I scanned it at the store, just to double-check. When the prize amount popped up on the screen, I turned as white as a ghost! I tucked the ticket safely inside my coat and immediately sprinted home," he told the lottery.

The man hurried to tell his wife, who was similarly incredulous at the news – "Are you sure?" she asked skeptically, but the couple was soon assured that this was indeed the case. The couple will now put the money to good use.

The money will go primarily for setting up educational college funds for their four grandchildren, but they also intend to treat themselves to a holiday trip abroad, with Europe as their preferred destination, and Ireland and Italy on their travel itinerary, citing unexplored ancestral ties to these countries.

The ticket was bought at P&S Liquor, located at 7319 Irving Park Road, and the store also got a $10,000 bonus premium from the lottery for selling the ticket.

Image credit: Illinois Lottery