Cook County Friends Claim $750,000 Lucky Day Lotto Jackpot

Photo caption: Two Illinois Lottery winners celebrate with a ceremonial check after claiming a $750,000 Lucky Day Lotto jackpot. 

CHICAGO, April 30, 2026 — Two friends from Cook County are celebrating after claiming a $750,000 Lucky Day Lotto^® jackpot. 

The winners, who are remaining anonymous under the name ‘Pirate Gals,’ purchased the winning ticket at Squire Liquor & Tobacco, located at 1929 Plum Grove Rd. in Palatine.

“I was still in the store when I realized we had won—I was so excited,” said the ‘Pirate Gal' who bought the ticket. She immediately called her friend who double-checked the numbers and confirmed the big win. “At first, I thought it was only $700, until my friend pointed out it was actually the jackpot.” 

The winning ticket matched all five numbers— 17, 22, 25, 31, and 40— in the March 20 Lucky Day Lotto drawing, securing the game’s top prize. 

Even now, the moment feels surreal. “We didn’t get much sleep that night,” the winners shared. “After all these years, we finally hit a jackpot—it still doesn’t feel real.”

The ‘Pirate Gals’ plan to use their winnings to take a family vacation, purchase a new condo, and travel to the Philippines. “We feel incredibly blessed by this windfall,” they said. 

With a smile, the ticket purchaser added, “I even told the store we needed a winning ticket—who knew it would be this one?”

For selling the winning ticket, Squire Liquor & Tobacco will receive a bonus of 1 percent of the prize amount, totaling $7,500.

So far this year, nearly 4 million winning Lucky Day Lotto tickets have been sold, with players statewide claiming over $23 million in prizes.

Lucky Day Lotto is an Illinois-only draw game with two daily drawings at 12:40 p.m. and 9:22 p.m., and jackpots starting at $100,000. Tickets are available in-store, online, and via the Illinois Lottery app.

Lucky Day Lotto b-roll, available for use by the media; download here.

Be Smart, Play Smart^®. Must be 18 or older to play. Game odds available at IllinoisLottery.com.

The store is more than just a place to buy tickets for him. “I come to this store often, and I’m close friends with the staff here. They were thrilled when I shared the good news with them,” he said. “When I bought the ticket, I told them I was coming back with a lot of zeros. I can’t believe it actually happened!”

This isn’t Lucky’s first big win. “I play the lottery often and have won about 20 other times, with prizes ranging from $1,000-$5,000,” he shared.

With his newfound wealth, the winner plans to make several positive changes in his life. “I’m going to invest in my family’s future, buy a new home, and refresh my wardrobe. I also plan to donate a portion to a local hospital,” he added with a smile.

The retailer that sold the winning ticket will also benefit. The Mobil Gas station will receive a retailer bonus of one percent of the prize amount, which totals $10,000.

The Illinois Lottery currently offers a range of Instant Ticket games priced from $1 to $50, available at approximately 7,000 retail locations across Illinois.

Instant Tickets b-roll, available for use by the media, download here.

Playing the lottery should be a form of entertainment. Please remember to set a limit and stick to it. Be Smart, Play Smart^®. Must be 18 or older to play. Game odds available at IllinoisLottery.com.

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About the Illinois Lottery
The Illinois Lottery, founded in 1974, has contributed over $26 billion to the State’s Common School Fund in support of K-12 public education in Illinois since 1985. The Common School Fund is the Illinois Lottery’s primary beneficiary, receiving nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds. The Illinois Lottery also supports various specialty causes as described in the Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/21.4). For more information about the Illinois Lottery and the causes we support, please visit IllinoisLottery.com.