Pamela Arscott of Franklin Park, Illinois won the top prize of $1 million on Illinois Lottery Celebration Instant Ticket.
Arscott said she saw the scratch off ticket while shopping at a Walmart in Addison.
"I started scratching the ticket and saw I had a matching number for a million dollars," she said. "I thought it was a mistake. I immediately woke up my daughter."
Her daughter rushed to the store to get it scanned to make sure it was real.
"She got to the store, scanned the ticket, called me, and said, 'It's real. You're getting a million dollars, Mom'," she said.
The Walmart, on North Rohlwing Road, will receive a bonus of 1% of the prize.
She has five children, ten grandkids and two great-grandchildren. Her husband of 49 years passed away in October.
"He was the breadwinner and took care of all of us. I truly believe this winning ticket is a blessing from him," she said.
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