Blue Island Store Sells Winning $260M Mega Millions Ticket

A grocery store in Blue Island has sold the $260 million winning ticket for Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing, the second-largest prize in Illinois Lottery history.

The winner, who not yet come forward, bought the ticket at Super Mercado Imelda at 13036 S. Western Ave. and matched all six numbers -- 02, 09, 11, 22, 23 (12) -- to win the $260 million jackpot in Tuesday night’s Mega Millions Drawing.

The Blue Island store will also receive a $500,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. A shocked Delores Diaz, who owns Super Mercado Imelda with her her husband, said they were informed early Wednesday morning that their store had sold the winning ticket.

“To tell you the truth it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Diaz said. “The lottery people called at 7:30 a.m. and talked to my husband.”

Diaz said the store has been participating in the Illinois Lottery tickets since 1980, but this is the first big ticket that they’ve sold. The owners plan to use some of the money to treat their employees.

“Maybe we’ll have a party for our employees or take them out to dinner,” Diaz said. “Thanks for that good idea.”

In addition to the jackpot winner, more than 132,000 Illinoisans won prizes ranging from $1 to $5,000 in Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing, Illinois Lottery said.

The jackpot is the second largest ever in Illinois Lottery history. A Naperville resident won the $270 million prize in a Mega Millions drawing in January.

The Illinois Lottery is urging the winner of Tuesday’s jackpot to immediately sign the back of the ticket, put in a safe place and call 217-524-5158 as soon as possible.