Franklin Park Woman Wins $1M In Lottery

FRANKLIN PARK, IL – A Franklin Park woman recently won the top prize of $1 million on a $1,000,000 Celebration Instant Ticket, the Illinois Lottery announced Monday.

"I was at Walmart the other night when I saw the new Celebration Instant Tickets and they caught my eye, so I bought a $10 one," Franklin Park resident Pamela Arscott said in a lottery news release. “I didn't think anything of it. I actually put it in my purse and forgot about it until the next morning."

When she started scratching the ticket, she said she saw she had a matching number for a million dollars.

"I thought it was a mistake," Arscott said. "I immediately woke up my daughter. I told her to run out to the store to scan it to double-check and make sure it's real. She got to the store, scanned the ticket, called me and said, 'It's real. You're getting a million dollars, Mom.'"

Arscott bought the ticket at Walmart on North Rohlwing Road in Addison, the lottery said. The store is set to get a selling bonus of 1 percent of the prize amount.

“I have five children, 10 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren," Arscott said. "My husband and I were married for 49 years until he passed away in October. He was the breadwinner and took care of all of us. I truly believe this winning ticket is a blessing from him."