A Vandalia, Illinois, woman won a $3 million top prize after a Christmas Eve change of plans led her to buy a $30 Royal Riches scratch-off.
A last-minute change of plans on Christmas Eve led a Vandalia, Illinois, woman to a $3 million top prize after she stopped at a different retailer than originally planned.
The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, was visiting family in her hometown of Vandalia when she decided to buy several Illinois Lottery scratch-off tickets. She had originally intended to stop at another gas station, but the store was closed for Christmas Eve.
“Phillips was the only place open, so I decided to go there instead,” she said.
Her change of plans brought her to Phillips 66 at 701 Veterans Ave. in Vandalia. While there, she purchased several scratch-off tickets, sharing some with her son and mother. She kept a $30 Royal Riches ticket for herself, partly because she liked its design.
“I kept the $30 ticket for myself,” she said.
The ticket turned out to be worth the game’s $3 million top prize.
The woman said she initially struggled to believe what she was seeing when she scanned the ticket at the store.
“When I scanned the ticket at the store, I honestly thought the machine was broken—until I realized I had won $3 million,” she said.
The unexpected prize has given her plans for both her family and her own future. She intends to use part of the money to support her family while putting the remainder aside for retirement.
Despite the size of the prize, she does not plan to give up the work she has built for herself. She intends to continue running her cleaning business.
“I don’t plan on quitting,” she said. “I’ll take a family vacation, but I’m still working.”
