RELEASE DATE: 7/17/2015
CHICAGO, IL - Blue Island residents John Williams and Neal Logue are sharing the second-largest prize in Illinois Lottery history. After occasionally buying lottery tickets together for the past twelve years, the two friends hit the jackpot when the first row of numbers on their $5 Mega Millions ticket matched all six numbers [02 - 09 - 11 - 22 - 23 - (12)] to win $262 million in the Tuesday, June 2nd drawing. This was the only ticket - among the many Mega Millions tickets purchased in 44 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands-to match all six numbers.
The day after the drawing, Logue called the Illinois Lottery hotline to hear the winning numbers. The friends immediately signed the back of the ticket and Logue put it in his wallet.
The Blue Island store that sold the $262 million winning Mega Millions ticket is Supermercado Imelda, 13036 South Western Avenue. The retailer received a $500,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
The June 2nd Mega Millions jackpot was originally estimated to be $260 million. Under Mega Millions rules, the actual jackpot is determined by sales, which resulted in a final jackpot of $262 million. This is the second Mega Millions jackpot win in Illinois this year. A Naperville resident won the $265 million jackpot prize in the Friday, January 16th Mega Millions drawing. That winning ticket was a Quick Pick selection purchased at Bucky's Express, 1202 South Bloomingdale Road, in Glendale Heights.
A list of top prizes awarded to Illinois Lottery players follows below:
$265 million: Jesus Davila, Jr. (Mega Millions, January 2015)
$262 million: John Williams & Neal Logue (Mega Millions, June 2015)
$218.6 million: Merle Butler (Mega Millions, March 2012)
$183 million: Kainze Family (Big Game, May 2000)
$110.3 million: PFK Partnership (Big Game, April 2002)
$81.5 million: JYS Partnership (Mega Millions, December 2007)
$63 million: Flynn & Powell Partners (Big Game, November 1999)
$50 million: Theo Baumgartner (Powerball, March 2013)
$45 million: Britton Family Partners (Lotto, June 1995)
$42 million: Sherwin Family (Lotto, May 1990)
$42 million: Madigan Partners (Lotto, August 1989)
QUICK MEGA MILLIONS FACTS
- Jackpots start at $15 million
- Overall odds of winning the jackpot 1:258,890,850
- Overall odds of winning any prize 1:14.7
- Drawings are at 9:59 PM (CT) every Tuesday and Friday
For more information, please visit illinoislottery.com
About Illinois Lottery
Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed nearly $18 billion (since 1985) to the state's Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars to the Capital Projects Fund and to special causes like Illinois Veterans services, the fight against breast cancer, MS research, Special Olympics and assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to playing in-store, the Illinois Lottery offers online and mobile play for all Illinois Lottery draw-based games at illinoislottery.com. Players must be at least 18 years old.
Media contact: Steve Rossi, Illinois Lottery, (312) 793-3030