South Side Woman Wins $5.2 Million Playing Illinois Instant Lotto

Caption: Happy winner Carolyn Peace of Chicago.

When Carolyn Peace realized she won $500,000 now and $5,000 a week for the next 20 years on a 20 Years of Cash lottery ticket, she instantly thought of her son.

“When I discovered I won, I felt relief,” Peace said. “Thanks to this prize I can help my son pay off his student loans, including the ones I took out to help him with college expenses.”

An occasional player of the Illinois Lottery, Peace said she has been buying instant tickets for the past year and this is the first time she has ever won a big prize. She was at home when she scratched her winning 20 Years of Cash ticket.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to look at the ticket five times before I could believe it was true,” she said.

Peace, 55, was born and raised in Chicago. She currently works as a data analyst. Her plans for the windfall include paying bills and sharing with her son.

“I want my son to complete his dream of pursuing higher education without a financial burden,“ Peace said. “I believe that’s what parents should do -- take care of their children the best way they can.”

When asked what advice she would give other lottery players Peace said, “If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.”

Her 20 Years of Cash $5,000-a-week prize works out to $500,000 now, plus annual installments of $260,000 for 20 years (totaling $5.7 million prior to required withholding). The winning ticket was purchased at Lucky Mart, 2900 West 87th Street in Chicago. For selling the winning ticket, Lucky Mart will receive a bonus of $57,000, equal to 1 percent of the prize amount.

20 Years of Cash tickets are available at four price points--$1, $2, $5 and $10--with top prizes, respectively, of $1,000, $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 a week for 20 years (prizes paid annually). In addition to the annuitized prizes, 20 Years of Cash grand prize winners also receive an immediate payment of $100,000, $200,000, $500,000 or $1,000,000, depending on which of the four games was purchased.

Grand prize winners in each of the four games will receive the following total prize money (subject to federal and state withholding):

· $1 game: $1,140,000

· $2 game: $2,280,000

· $5 game: $5,700,000

· $10 game: $11,400,000

Source: Illinois Lottery