Mega Millions

Illinois Winner of $56 Million Lottery Prize Knows He Won, but Hasn't Claimed Money: Officials

The winner has up to 12 months from the date of the drawing to claim the prize

Mega Millions
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Illinois Lottery officials are still looking for the man who won $56 million in a recent Mega Millions drawing, the largest prize won in the state in four years.

According to officials, the winning ticket was purchased at a Citgo Gas Station in the 13800 block of South Pulaski Road in suburban Crestwood, and the winner has not yet come forward to claim the prize.

An employee at the store says that the player is aware that they have won the prize, but that they haven’t seen the man since he won.

“I was alerted by one of my employees that a gentleman, who frequently shops at our store, inserted his Mega Millions ticket into the machine and found out that he was the winner of the jackpot,” the owner of the Citgo station said. “What the customer did next is simply priceless.”

The customer, according to the employee’s re-telling, fell to the floor, sat for a few minutes, got up and began shouting “I won! I won the Mega Millions!”

Employees at the store say they haven’t seen the man in the eight days since he made the discovery, and Illinois Lottery officials say he has not yet claimed his prize.

Lottery officials say that the man has up to 12 months from the date of the drawing to claim the prize.

Lottery winners are encouraged to write their names on the back of the ticket immediately, and to make an appointment at a claim center to redeem the prize. The state’s Lottery runs a website with more tips for winners to follow in the aftermath of their windfall.

The store owner, whose business will receive a bonus for selling the winning ticket, says that they are still in shock after the big win was announced.

“Since that say, there’s been non-stop action at our store, but after things settle down, we plan to reinvest all of the selling bonus back into the store,” the owner said.

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