Illinois store sells $1M Powerball lottery ticket

• Illinois has minted a new jackpot, with someone winning $1,000,000 from Monday’s Powerball drawing
• The winner is still anonymous, but the shop owner is very happy about the upcoming $10,000 premium and what it means for his employees
• Illinois has habitually turned players into winners owing to its network of retailers

A winning Powerball lottery ticket, fetching its owner $1,000,000, was bought in Illinois, at a local East Alton retail store.

While details about the winner are still missing, the store manager and store owners have been beyond themselves with joy at the news.

Latest Lottery Winner in Illinois Grabs $1,000,000 Prize

While their cut of the prize – a premium paid independently of the total pool – is fairly modest, it is still a nice financial and moral boost. Commenting on the events, Brian Patel, the owner of the store located at 740 E. Airline Drive in East Alton, said that he was dancing and celebrating the win.

The person who won secured the prize from the Monday, September 29 drawing, winning with 1, 3, 27, 60, and 65 as their numbers. The Dairy Fresh Rosewood shop had another reason to celebrate – it was the biggest jackpot ever won from a ticket sold on the property.

"I was dancing as soon as I walked in this morning — words can’t explain how excited we all are. We don’t know who the winner is yet, but we’re hoping it’s one of our regulars. Whoever it is, we’re thrilled for them and look forward to celebrating together," said store owner Brian Patel, cited by the Illinois Lottery.

As to what the shop will do with the $10,000 bonus paid from the lottery, Patel said that he had a few ideas.

"I’d love to give back to my employees — maybe by offering a bonus or even closing the store for a day to enjoy a fun outing together. I also plan to reinvest some of the money to improve the exterior of the store and make it even more inviting for our customers," he brainstormed.

This is not the only big money that has been won from the lottery locally. In August, an anonymous player grabbed a $14.6m payday, the largest this year in the state.

Image credit: Illinois Lottery