"It's all so unbelievable!" exclaimed the anonymous winner, nicknamed 'Papa.' "I didn't even realize it was a winning ticket until I scanned it at the store, just to double check. When the prize amount popped up on the screen, I turned as white as a ghost! I tucked the ticket safely inside my coat and immediately sprinted home."
He bought the winning Jumbo Bucks ticket at P&S Liquor, located at 7319 Irving Park Road on the Northwest Side.
"When I got home, I told my wife, 'We just won $1 million!'" Papa recalled with a laugh. "Even she couldn't believe it. She stared at me wide-eyed and just kept saying, 'What? Are you sure?'"
Papa and his wife are both retired and they plan to support their family and take a vacation abroad.
"I've never been to Europe, but our families are Irish and Italian," said Papa. "You better believe we're going overseas for a nice trip!"
The store that sold the winning ticket will get a $10,000 bonus.