A retired City of Chicago employee hit the jackpot for $1 million in the Illinois Lottery’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Millionaire Raffle.
Edward Casper, 62, found out the good news when his son checked the winning raffle numbers on the Illinois Lottery website, according to a statement from the Illinois Lottery.
“When my son told me we won the lottery, I thought maybe we had won $500 or $5,000. I never imagined I would win such a huge prize!” Casper said in a statement from the lottery.
He plans to invest wisely and said he consulted a professional financial adviser before claiming the prize. He also intends to use the money to pay off his mortgage and buy cars for his son and daughter.
“I still can’t believe I won a million dollars!” Casper said when he turned in his ticket at the prize center in Chicago.
He bought his $20 ticket at the 7-Eleven at 10301 S. Sawyer Ave., which received a bonus of $10,000 for selling a winning ticket.