Warrenville Man Hits Little Lotto Jackpot

A Warrenville man won an $800,000 jackpot when his Lucky Day Lotto Quick Pick ticket matched all five number -- 08-19-30-42-45 -- in the August 7 midday drawing.

“When I saw that the Lucky Day Lotto jackpot had rolled up to $800,000, I just had to buy a ticket,” Mario Chavez said when he presented his winning ticket at the Illinois Lottery Prize Center in Des Plaines. “I can’t believe I won such a big prize!”

Chavez was at work when his wife checked the winning numbers on the Illinois Lottery mobile app and called to tell him that he’d won.

“She was so excited that I couldn’t understand what she was saying,” Chavez said. “When I heard her say $800,000, my hands starting shaking and I almost dropped my phone.”

Later that evening, Chavez double checked the winning numbers on the Illinois Lottery website. “I had to make sure we really matched all of the numbers!”

Chavez, 43, is originally from Mexico. He moved to Chicago at the age of 17 and is currently working for a grocery store. His plans for the windfall include paying bills and buying a new house for his wife and three children. When asked what he liked about playing Lucky Day Lotto he said, “I believe there are better chances of winning with Lucky Day Lotto because it is an Illinois-only game.”

An occasional Lucky Day Lotto player, Chavez bought his winning ticket at La India Grocery, 653 Joliet Street in West Chicago. The retailer will receive an $8,000 bonus, equal to 1 percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket. Chavez will receive a check for $560,000 after taxes.

Lucky Day Lotto drawings are twice a day, seven days a week and now offer bigger and better prizes for the same price, with the same draw times. For more information, please visit www.illinoislottery.com.

PHOTO: Mario Chavez holds his $800,000 winning Lucky Day Lotto ticket. | Illinois Lottery