Metro-East Woman Wins $1 Million On $10 Scratch-Off Bought At Favorite Local Store
Photo caption: Cynthia of Granite City, Illinois, shares a joyful celebration with her husband after claiming $1 million on an Illinois Lottery scratch-off ticket.
CHICAGO, May 15, 2026 — Cynthia of Granite City, Illinois, became the latest Illinois Lottery millionaire after winning the $1,000,000 top prize on a $10 Money Match scratch-off ticket purchased at her favorite local store.
“I shop at this store almost every day—the staff know me by name,” said Cynthia. “I wanted to try a different game, so I picked this one.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Curly’s Corner Market, located at 527 Maryville Road in Granite City. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus—1% of the prize—for selling the winning ticket.
Cynthia discovered her win during a work break. “I had to look twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things,” she recalled. “One of my coworkers even checked in on me—I started shaking.”
She immediately called her husband, who didn’t believe her at first. “He thought I was pranking him because I could barely get the words out,” Cynthia laughed. “It still feels like a dream.”
Cynthia also shared the news with a friend who works at the store. “I called him, and he said, ‘No way—we were just talking about retirement,’” she said.
With her winnings, Cynthia plans to make home improvements, buy a new car, take her grandchildren to Disney, and finally enjoy a long-awaited honeymoon. “My husband and I have been married for 17 years but never had a honeymoon,” she said. “You bet we’re going to one of the most romantic places in the world— France.”
The Illinois Lottery currently offers a range of Instant Tickets priced from $1 to $50, available at approximately 7,000 retail locations across Illinois.
Already this year, nearly 22 million winning Instant Tickets have been sold, with players statewide claiming more than 606 million in prizes.
Instant Tickets b-roll, available for use by the media, download here.
The Illinois Lottery reminds players to play for fun, not funds. 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.