‘It’s been nonstop excitement’: Jackpot Lucky Day Lotto ticket sold at Humboldt Park gas station

CHICAGO — The weekend is always a reason to celebrate, but a lucky lotto player on the city’s West Side might just have a little bit more cause after winning big during a Lucky Day Lotto drawing on Wednesday.

According to the Illinois Lottery, the lucky player snagged a $400,000 jackpot prize after they matched all five numbers during the evening drawing on Wednesday.

Officials said Wednesday evening’s winning numbers were 1, 7, 33, 34 and 45.

The ticket was purchased at a Division Mobil, located in the 2805 block of West Division Street in Humboldt Park.

The big winner picked up just one of 17,500 winning tickets that were sold for the Wednesday evening drawing.

Officials from the Illinois lottery shared details about the big win on Thursday but did not disclose the name of the winner.

According to TaxAct’s Lottery Tax Calculator, the lucky player will end up taking home about $284,200 after taxes, which equals about $96,000 in federal taxes (24%) and about $19,800 in state taxes (4.95%).

But the winner isn’t the only person taking home a bit of extra cash. As a bonus for selling the ticket, the gas station will receive a $4,000 bonus from the Illinois Lottery, equal to 1% of the prize amount.

According to store manager Bobby Patel, regulars at the gas station are eager to learn who picked up the ticket.

“Our regular customers have been calling us or stopping by to ask about the winner or congratulate us — it’s been nonstop excitement at the store,” said Bobby Patel, store manager at Division Mobil. “We don’t know who the winner is yet, but I really hope it’s one of our regulars. That would be the icing on the cake.”

The gas station’s Finance and Operations Manager said he believes Wednesday’s winner is the second-largest winning ticket ever sold at the store.

Division Mobil has been part of this community for nearly 25 years,” said Aqil Jaddi, Finance and Operations Manager. “Over the years, we’ve had quite a few winners, but this is one of our biggest—our second largest after a $500,000 scratch-off winner about five years ago.”

Lucky Day Lotto, which is exclusively sold in Illinois, draws twice a day, at 12:40 p.m. and 9:22 p.m., and tickets can be purchased in-store, online, or on the Illinois Lottery app.

Lucky Day Lotto costs $1 per game and players have a 1 in 12 chance of winning a prize, but jackpot odds are much higher at 1 in 1,221,759. For $1 extra, players can also add EZmatch numbers to their ticket for a chance to claim an extra prize.

Illinois Lottery winners have one year from the date of winning to claim their prizes and lottery officials advise players to write their names on the backs of winning tickets and keep them in a safe place until they are ready to claim their prizes.