Sometimes, it pays to clean out your wallet—literally.
Michael Gonzalez kept a lottery ticket in his wallet for more than a month without realizing that it was worth $100,000.
“Two days after my birthday I bought a Lucky Day Lotto Quick Pick ticket, put it in my wallet and forgot all about it,” Gonzalez told Illinois Lottery officials.
About a month later, the Berwyn resident was at a store going through his wallet when he found the ticket and asked the cashier to check it for him. It was then that he found out he had won $100,000.
“Since I am always joking around, my mom wouldn’t believe me,” he said. “She kept calling me back asking if I really won.”
The 23-year-old, who is originally from Mexico, says he plans to use the winnings to buy a new home for his mother and sister.
When it comes to advice for other lottery players, he said, “Don’t forget to check your tickets.”
Local
The winning ticket was purchased at Joe’s Liquors, located at 6803 Ogden Ave. in Berwyn.
