(Photo credit: Illinois Lottery)
A $5 Illinois Lottery scratch-off ticket has brought a life-changing windfall to Mt. Carmel resident David Sharp and his wife, Angie. Sharp, a regular at the Marathon Gas station at 1315 W. 9th Street, purchased the winning “Cash Grab” ticket during a routine stop. Drawn to games with larger prizes and multipliers, he couldn’t believe his luck when he revealed the $1 million top prize.
“I scratched it in my truck and couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Sharp told the Illinois Lottery. After a quick confirmation with the store clerk, the reality set in. “I was in shock. I just stood there thinking, ‘No way this is real.’ I had to double-check it to be sure.”
The massive win is especially meaningful for the couple. Angie Sharp, who has worked in the cafeteria at a local grade school for 25 years without missing a day, can now retire early.Sharp said. “I told her, ‘You’re not going to believe this — we won a million dollars!’ This means she can finally retire sooner than we thought,”
News of the win spread rapidly through the community, and the Marathon Gas station has seen a surge of hopeful customers. The store will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, equal to 1% of the prize.
The Sharps plan to use their winnings for a new truck and a trip to visit an aquarium. “I’m just grateful,” Sharp said. “It’s a blessing for both of us.”
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