$1M Lottery Winner Credits Surprise Run-In With Grandma For Good Luck

A run-in with his grandmother was the lucky charm for a newly minted Illinois millionaire who won the Oct. 11 Powerball drawing.

The anonymous player, who gave himself the nickname "Grandma is my Lucky Charm," purchased a Powerball ticket at Road Ranger, a convenience store on Highway 38 in Rochelle, and matched all five numbers — 13, 16, 18, 20 and 27 — to win the $1 million prize, according to the Illinois Lottery.

But what happened right before he found out he won the lottery made the occasion extra special.

"The $240 million jackpot drawing was that night, but I work late, so I took a quick lunch break to grab a ticket and try my luck," he said, per a news release. "When I arrived at the store, I saw a car that looked just like my grandma's. And guess what? It was her car, and she was right by the cash register, checking out."

After playing the game, the winner scanned the ticket and couldn't believe his eyes.

"I scanned the ticket and it said, 'You won $1,000,004,'" he said. "I didn't believe it, so I scanned it again. That’s when I started screaming and hyperventilating. I instantly called my grandma, and her first response was, 'Are you sure you won?' I checked the numbers manually online, and everything matched — except the Powerball."

The winner said he plans on sharing some of the pot with his lucky charm.

"I'm definitely sharing some of this with my grandma," he said. "She's my good luck charm! And I’m going to buy a brand-new car, too."

The win benefits Road Ranger, too, since the business earns 1 percent of the prize amount, or $10,000, for selling the ticket.

So far in 2025, 12 Illinois Lottery players won Powerball prizes of $1 million or more, according to the group.

The Powerball jackpot has soared to $681 million for the next drawing, happening at 9:59 p.m. Wednedsay. Tickets, which cost $2 each, can be purchased in store or via the Illinois Lottery's website or app. For the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes, players can add Power Play for an additional $1.