Dawn Force, 62, bought her winning ticket at the Citgo gas station, located at 470 East Division Street in Rockford.
“Every morning on my way to work, I stop for a pop and grab a Lottery ticket,” said Force. “When I got to work that morning, I scratched the ticket in the parking lot. I couldn’t stop shaking when I revealed the ‘4MIL’ symbol.
“Once I calmed down, I drove back to the gas station to get the ticket scanned. Everyone there was so happy for me. After that, I went back to work. I don’t plan to quit my job because I love what I do!”
Force visited Lottery headquarters to claim her prize. She chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum of about $2.5 million rather than annuity payments totaling $4 million. With her winnings, she plans to pay bills and help family members.
“It has been a rough few years for my family and winning this prize is a true miracle. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, not worry about money, and enjoy time with my husband and daughter.” Force said.
Players have won more than $144 million playing Worth Millions, which launched in September 2019. Each $30 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $30 up to $4 million. More than $7 million in prizes remain, including one $4 million top prize, three $15,000 prizes, five $5,000 prizes, and 21 $3,000 prizes.
Lottery instant games may be purchased at 10,500 retailers across the state.
In 2020, Lottery players won more than $1.5 billion playing instant games.