Illinois man wins $1M from gas station scratch-off ticket

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (WLS) -- An Illinois man is celebrating his new status as an instant millionaire.

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The anonymous winner claimed his cash after buying a winning scratch-off Illinois Lottery Ticket in Mount Vernon just east of St. Louis.

He purchased the ticket at a Circle K located at 1710 S. 10th Street.

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"My girlfriend scratched the ticket and kept on staring at it and saying, 'This can't be right, this can't be right' - so I took a look and then ended up saying the same thing," the winner said."

He won $1 million dollars.

The now millionaire said he plans to buy a new house, "give a little love to my family and hopefully retire a little earlier."

The Circle K will receive a selling bonus of $10,000, which is one percent of the prize amount.