An Illinois woman received a “Christmas Day blessing” when she scored a $350,000 lottery jackpot from a Lucky Day Lotto drawing on the holiday. Photo courtesy of the Illinois Lottery
An Illinois woman received a “Christmas Day blessing” when she scored a $350,000 lottery jackpot on the holiday.
The winner, who gave herself the nickname Work Mom, told Illinois Lottery officials she bought her Lucky Day Lotto ticket online using her own set of numbers.
“Everyone at my job calls me ‘Work Mom’ since I’m the oldest,” the winner said.
The woman said she was watching TV when she received an email about her win.
“At first, I thought it was a glitch,” she said. “I almost had a panic attack — I immediately checked the Illinois Lottery app to make sure it was real.”
The ticket matched all five numbers in the Christmas Day drawing, earning her a $350,000 prize.
She said the numbers on her ticket represented family birthdays.
“I felt optimistic when I played those numbers,” the winner said. “It turned out to be a Christmas Day blessing.”
The player said her winnings will go toward funding her retirement, paying for her daughter’s education and taking a family vacation.
“We’re checking off a big item on my husband’s wish list,” she said. “We’re going to Alaska.”
