As the coiling line of people inside the Thompson Center collapsed in on itself Friday morning, Illinois State Police Sgt. Carlton Riley radioed for backup to help figure out how to deal with the crowd.
"All right, people, we got a problem now!" Riley barked. "I need you to pay attention and keep the line tight."
Riley might have had a problem, but almost no one else did. The estimated 600 people in line were there to claim a share of what may be the highest-ever total payout for the Illinois Lottery's "Pick Four" game.
The winners will share about $8.4 million, before taxes, said Tracy Owens, a Lottery representative.
There were so many people at the Thompson Center on Friday that Owens doubted the staff of four on the seventh floor would be able to process everyone.
"There's a great possibility that people will be coming back on Monday or Tuesday," Owens said.
Curley Harris, a 61-year-old teller from the West Side, had no intention of being among those people.
"They are closed Saturday, and they might run out of money Monday," Harris said. "We want our money today. You better get it while you can get it."
Owens said winners don't need to worry — they have up to a year to claim their winnings, he explained.
Harder to explain was what made so many people select the numbers for the Wednesday evening drawing. It certainly helped that the numbers drawn were all the same — 2222. Repeating combinations are among the most popular among players, Owens said.
The Pick Four game has been around since 1982, but payout records only go back to 1996, and since that date, the Wednesday evening drawing was the highest payout on record, Owens said. The next-largest payout was $5.6 million, in 2005, Owens said.
Players win according to how much they put in. If you'd spent a mere 50 cents — and you picked the correct four numbers — you'd get $2,500, Owens said. There's no limit on how much money you can put down on one set of numbers.
Most folks in line — at least those who were talking — had paid $1, maybe $2 at the most. Winners can also pick up their checks at Lottery offices in Des Plaines, Rockford, Springfield and Fairview Heights, near St. Louis.
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Congrats to all the winners! What a great feeling!
Wow that is wonderful ,and right here at Christmas time too.
"The Pick Four game has been around since 1982, but payout records only go back to 1996..."
And I wonder why that would be?
Hey, it's Illinois, ya gotta ask these questions.
Nice to see so many people getting a nice payday though!
Just about every lottery is in the same boat: limited records earlier than the 1990s.
The reason? Because the Internet wasn't around back then, and people generally did not hoard/save data like they do today. Most people would have no idea how to ask for it back then. Additionally, the open records and data retention laws of today did not even exist back then, so state governments really had no need to diligently catalog and save what appeared to be useless data.
I don't think it has anything to do with underhandedness -- it was simply a sign of the times.
Record Schmecord!
I just want to win!
Congrats to the winners!
looking at that picture, i can see why quads don't fall much, what a headache for the state lottery offiices, i would try to hold off a week to claim my money if i could stand it, just to avoid the crowds. i hope this boosts their economy for christmas, and i hope tennessee follows their lead. i am happy for each and every one of them. and alittle jealous too.
Todd
Thanks 4 sharing that wonderful story . It is always great 2 hear of others winner. Because you know your win is just around the next drawing.
Evelyn
THIS!!!!!....
Players win according to how much they put in. If you'd spent a mere 50 cents — and you picked the correct four numbers — you'd get $2,500, Owens said. There's no limit on how much money you can put down on one set of numbers.
So if I wanted to put down $10 or $20 on one set of numbers the Illinois lottery will pay out accordingly if those numbers hit in exact order?
If so wow!!! That would be one heck of a payout it they hit!!
People routinely do that here in Michigan. I'm sure its routine in most other states too.
My mom put down $10 on 0-4-7-1 back in 1991 - she collected $50,204 thanks to it coming in that night.
I remember not too long ago somebody putting down $100 on a Pick 4 combo and collecting over $500,000 because "they had a hunch". I'll have to find it and post it.
Seems like every state can get a quad
but NC. They are way over dueeeeeee!
Must be a great feeling though....
The winning is perfect timing -- right before the holidays, too. Of course, anytime is a great time if you're winning. So, if 50 cents will get you $2,500 -- imagine what higher amounts would bring, even beyond the $2.00 bet. Yes, some people have all the luck!
Wish I was among that Crowd. lol
Thanks Todd, that makes sense.
And just another example of how lucky we are that Al Gore invented the internet.
All Hail Al!
I agree @ Jordan, I was recently looking at the vtracs, trying to figure it out.
2222 was right there, because, in October, Illinois ran 7277, 2772, that's the vtrac for 2222, and 3333.
Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nope here in TX the maximum you can put down on pick 3 and pick 4 is $5.
$50K, wow that was a sweet payout.
Congratulations to her and to you too, for knowing someone who actually won big on the lottery....
Hello!
On 1 playslip, yes, but you can have that playslip played as many times as you want to, just tell the clerk to run it thru the machine as many times as you want to.
I wonder how much the online places lost at $9,000 per $1 bet at most places...
The max you can play on one playboard is $5. Each playslip has 5 playboards which you can bet .50, $1, or $5. But you can play as much as you want. I played $10 straight per draw a couple weeks ago. When I have a hunch on a number I play it heavy.
Tx has had Daily 4 for 3 years now, and no quads yet. I don't know that I could ever play quads because they are so rare.
There was a story on the Virginia Lottery website about a man who drove from North Carolina to put $100 on the same number because it came up in his dreams. The number (3102) won. This was back before North Carolina or Tennessee had a state lottery - and just before South Carolina launched their Pick-3 game.
This should "stimulate" the Illinois economy for this Holiday Season!
Gotta wonder how many people hang in there playing quads in TN, kid.
We've only ever had one, on 9/13/08 Evening - 1111.
Those lines in IL probably scared them so much they flipped the switch again on the computer to rule out quads this time.
As I read this story, all I could see was State Trooper Riley - "barking" into his radio - "Help, they're breaking into the lottery dance .... don't know if I can contain this "problem..." "Wait, now they're all singing....any moment I expect a group hug that will probably take me down...send back up, ......"
To the winner, Awesome job - Congratulations!
To Sgt Riley - May all your calls for backup be for happy riots. Peace. J
wtg winners
What a wonderful story!! Congrats to ALL of the winners! :)
Jake, my mind's eye painted this scene as I read your post. My hand painting is juvenile, at best, but the mind's brush was quick and colorful and I didn't spill any paint.
maggie
Massachusetts has a crazy pick 4 they call Daily Game.
On some days the pay out is as low as $3,800 if you match the 4 numbers straight.
Yeah, we usually don't play that game.
I've played numbers that I've seen clearly in dreams and woke up and wrote em down.
Turned out to be nightmares.
Wait a minute, do you need to have your glasses on in your dreams?
Maybe that was the problem.
No, it's happened to me about 3 times over the years CB.
The Universe gave me the wrong numbers.
Bad Universe!
Bad! 