A homeless man in downstate Bloomington has won $50,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket.
The man, named Dennis, lives in a tent near a creek in Illinois and turned in the ticket just before Easter, a DeKalb pastor told the Chicago Tribune's John Kass. The pastor was in line behind Dennis at a gas station and heard him ask the clerk if he won anything.
The pastor told Kass the clerk's eyes got "as big as saucers" when she looked at the ticket and told Dennis he'd won $50,000. Dennis didn't believe her and asked for another clerk to verify the winnings.
Indeed, he had won.
Illinois State Lottery spokesman Mike Lang verified to Kass the man's win and said this wasn't his first time. Dennis won $1,000 from scratch-off games last year and in 2008.
With his $50,000 prize, Dennis said he hopes to buy a trailer to live in.
