CHICAGO (CAPITOL CITY NOW) — The Illinois Lottery now knows who won the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot after buying a ticket at a HyVee Fash and Fresh in Quincy back in August.
But, we don’t.
According to a news release, the lottery says as they can under state law, the winner has come forward, but since that person won more than $250,000, they’re opting to remain anonymous.
The winner says in a lottery news release that they didn’t believe they won at first, until a family member was called.
“I’m still processing the news and experiencing the full range of emotions that come with winning a billion-dollar jackpot — from disbelief and shock to overwhelming elation,” said the anonymous winner in the press release.
The manager at the lottery’s Chicago Prize Center Manager, Amanda Crosas, said she’s helped a lot of winners over the years, but assisting in the second largest prize in Illinois history was, quote, “truly extraordinary.”
“You could feel the excitement in the room — we all had a little extra bounce in our steps that day,” Crosas said, in the news release. “I can only imagine what this moment must feel like for the winner and the people closest to them. Congratulations to the winner on this life-changing prize and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
In the press release sent to CapitolCityNow and the rest of the media, the Illinois Lottery used the words “Mystery Solved” since the winner has come forward. But, is the mystery really solved, since the winner is still anonymous. We may never know.
