A date with Lady Luck three days after heartbreak
By Kate Northrop
NORTHLAKE, Ill. — On what he assumed would be a lonely Valentine's Day after having just gone through a breakup, an Illinois man is instead celebrating the holiday with a $1 million lottery win.
Heartbreak was in the cards for one Illinois man, who was posed to spend Valentine's Day without a date after splitting from his girlfriend. However, he's hit the jackpot with Lady Luck this year, raking in a $1 million lottery prize three days after the breakup.
With emotions already running wild leading up to the most romantic day of the year, the anonymous player was not prepared for the possibility that his luck would change so soon.
"After I scratched the winning ticket, I completely panicked," the winner told the Illinois Lottery. "I immediately felt my life change. I almost didn't go to work!"
He had stopped at the Walmart on West North Avenue in Northlake, about 20 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, where he flirted with the idea of buying a $10 "Monopoly 50X" scratch-off ticket for a chance at the $1 million top prize.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, even if you don't have a special someone to share the day with, such as treating yourself to a relaxing night in, a nice dinner, or a box of delicious chocolates. This lottery player ended up picking out the sweetest gift for himself.
"I've been going crazy keeping this million-dollar secret," the winner exclaimed. "I don't have a special someone to share my big news with because my girlfriend and I broke up three days before I bought the winning ticket. You can say I haven't had much luck in the love department but that's alright, because now I really hit the jackpot!"
Having scooped up the first of three available top prizes of $1 million, the anonymous man claimed the cash option of the prize, $600,000 before taxes. There are also five out of six second-tier prizes of $100,000 and 21 out of 27 third-tier prizes of $5,000 remaining in the $10 "Monopoly 50X" scratch-off game.
The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.39.
I hope he has continued luck
He can expect a visit from his ex-girlfriend, filled with apologies and seeking a reunion.
If he is wise, he'll leave her alone and find somebody else.
He said that he and his girlfriend "broke up" but it sounds more like she dumped him. If it was mutual, he wouldn't claim to be unlucky in love.
According to the experts, 75 to 90% of all separations and divorces are initiated by women, so if his girlfriend dumped him, that would be the most likely scenario.
i could set my watch to you.
Guess I slept with too many men's wives and girlfriends since I was a teenager.
I guess you could say that women taught me well.
At this stage of my life, I don't even look at another man's woman, but in my youth, I often caught a woman's roving eye.
I've had 2 older women...one of them married, compliment me on my looks in the past 2 months.
The single one has a nice body and is Armenian like Kim Kardashian.
She told me she is single because her ex cheated, which is a story that i've heard before, and 9 times out of 10 you can bet that she also did something wrong.
Anyway, i'm not messing with either one of those women.
If I never touch another woman, i've had my fun.
LOL! Sometimes I forget i'm a senior citizen.
I might be older than those women or closer in age!
You can buy a watch but you can't buy time.
Hope you can get compliments from women IF you live to get my age.
The percentages can be verified by doing a google search, yet this post was down voted by those who hate the truth.
A million bucks is not enough for most (sane) people take back their ex.
Funny that at my age, I can still run up and down stairs, jump, and play basketball (which I thank God for).
Still attracting young women and getting compliments from chicks that are older.
No surprise that I sometimes forget that i'm an old man.
Happy Valentines Day to all the couples, and if you haven't found love, I hope that someone special comes your way!
Classic Nigerian scammer bragging on himself 24/7.
So HE wins a MILLION but only gets $600,000 before TAXES, I don't consider that A MILLION, I call that a JOKE.
$300,000 after taxes is a tidy sum but it is NOT A MILLION but the State Lottery and the News will say he won a million but he didn't so everyone will believe he won a million.
I think it sucks to win a big prize like that and then you have to choose either be tied to the tax man for 20 years or accept half as a consolation prize instead. The State of Illusions
Yes, that 40% bite before taxes kick in would have me not purchasing this ticket anytime soon or ever actually. He should end up with closer to 400k though. He should have take the 20 yearly checks and netted 34,500.00 a year.
Once I saw the headline had to look up the Massachusetts guy who won after his breakup.
Unlike this guy, he won $30 million Mega Millions Oct 2012.
Best Valentine's gift for the Illinois guy. Hope he blocks all contact with her.
pretty sure she is the one who should block him. he be calling her up, hey baby i won the lottery so take me back.
You've been watching too many soap operas!
Real life ain't like that.
In real life, women LOVE the money even if they don't love the man.
That's what the song, "Lying Eyes", by the Eagles was all about.
I've had women want me back after I left them and I didn't win nothing.
I guess she wanted me back because she realized she blew a good thing.
The funny thing is that I loved her but not enough to be a fool, so I had to leave her and walk away from love.
That would be a very unattractive guy. Handsome guys have no problem getting women. I'm just an average looking guy but I don't recall ever begging a woman.
The minds of guys who beg women are in bondage to them.
And yet they follow and obey you.
That's what's wrong with the world.
And no "brag"...just fact.
Over 20 years on this site and I never stated anything about my personal life, but since you, being prejudiced, made accusations against me, I had to reveal a little about my personal life.
Well, i've been on this site over 10...not 20 years.
Racist comment. Definitely a tinge of racism in that remark.
I don't try to change people's hearts because they are what they are.
Like the Bible says, the devil is the god of this world. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
I'm American, so why not an AMERICAN scammer?
The answer is obvious.
I've traveled many places and have encountered all types of people, so I know what i'm talking about.
you'll feel better if you eat a salad.
I wish Todd & Kate were more like FB in that this bickering crap between members STOPS.
Heaven knows I've got suspended on FB about four times, though I didn't personally attack folks like some members do on LP!
I feel fine! I already knew that no one could give a logical answer to my question.