Rockford woman wins $500K after buying Illinois Lottery ticket at Walmart

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A lucky woman, shopping at a Rockford Walmart, won $500,000 on an Illinois Lottery ticket.

According to the Illinois Lottery, the player won the top prize on a $10 Holiday Bucks scratch off ticket.

“I was running errands at Walmart and decided to grab one of the new holiday-themed tickets on my way out,” said the anonymous winner, nicknamed “Jessie.” “I was in a hurry, so I just scratched the barcode on the ticket and scanned it at the machine. You wouldn’t believe how big my eyes got when “$500,000” popped up on the screen!”

“I thought the machine was just showing how much you could win with this ticket — not what I’d actually won,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it! I even asked the clerk to double check, but told her, ‘Don’t tell anyone!’”

Jesse purchased her ticket at the Walmart located at 3849 Northridge Drive. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

“I ran out to my car and immediately called my husband,” Jessie recalled. “He shouted, ‘ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Leave the store now—and don’t let the ticket fly out the car window!’ I think it made him a nervous wreck,” she said.

Jesse said she planned to use her prize to give back to her family and the community this Christmas.

“I want to treat my family, but I also plan to help those who are less fortunate—especially kids in my community—have a magical holiday season,” she said.