Chicago Suburbs Best Friends Score Nearly $520,000 Fastplay Jackpot
Photo caption: Joseph and Bryan of Downers Grove, Illinois are all smiles after winning the $518,309 jackpot playing FastPlay Twenty 20s.
CHICAGO, April 16, 2026 — What began as a typical hangout between best friends Joseph and Bryan of Downers Grove turned into an unforgettable night when they scored a $518,309 jackpot while playing FastPlay™ Twenty 20s on the Illinois Lottery’s iLottery platform.
Though the two often play lottery games with a larger group of neighborhood friends, that night it was just the two of them. They decided to focus on higher-jackpot games — a strategy that paid off in a big way.
“We were being intentional about the games we chose that night,” said Bryan. “When the winning message popped up, it took a second to sink in. We just stared at each other, shocked and in disbelief.”
The excitement of the win quickly spread as the friends shared the news with family and close friends. For Bryan, the timing was especially meaningful, as the prize provides an opportunity to better prepare for his daughter’s future college expenses.
For Joseph, the windfall came as he entered a new phase of life after recently retiring from a 22-year career. “This jackpot gives me the freedom to spend more time with my family and the flexibility to explore how best to reinvest this lucky break,” he said.
FastPlay Twenty 20s is a progressive jackpot game that starts at $50,000 and increases with each ticket sold statewide—both in-store and online—until the jackpot is won.
So far in 2026, more than 142,000 winning tickets have been purchased for the FastPlay Twenty 20s game, awarding nearly $7.3 million in prizes to Illinois Lottery players.
There are currently more than 30 FastPlay games offered at various price points and play styles. Players can download the Illinois Lottery app to see the most up-to-date jackpots.
FastPlay b-roll is available for the media; download here.
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.