An Illinois Man Missed a $10,000 Winner — Weeks Later, He Won $1 Million

An Illinois Man Missed a $10,000 Winner — Weeks Later, He Won $1 Million
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Iva Dozet News Editor
Fact Checked: PokerListings
  • Updated: July 31, 2026
  • Read time: 1 min

Life has a funny way of working itself out — sometimes a seemingly wrong decision is actually the one that leads you somewhere ever better.

That was certainly the case for an Illinois lottery player, known to the media only by his first name, Steve. Just weeks after watching a coworker win $10,000 on the scratch-off ticket he himself decided to pass on, Steve bit the bullet, making another $5 lottery purchase. This time, it paid off, as that ticket turned him into a millionaire just days before his birthday.

Here’s how one near miss became the best birthday present he could have asked for.

From Passing on a Winner to Becoming a Millionaire

After missing out on the $10,000 jackpot weeks before, Steve purchased his winning $5 Onyx Instant Ticket at Beck’s North in Kewanee, Illinois, before taking it home to scratch later that evening.

Unlike many lottery players, and maybe still recovering from his earlier loss, Steve wasn’t in any rush to see the result.

Steve

I was watching TV and scratching the ticket with one of those vintage coins,” Steve told Illinois Lottery officials. “I told myself, ‘This will be my lucky token today’ — and it sure was.

The ticket revealed the game’s $1 million top prize, a moment made even sweeter because of what had happened only weeks earlier.

Steve

A few weeks ago, I was debating between two $5 tickets,” Steve explained. “I picked one that didn’t win, but my coworker bought one of the other ones and won $10,000.

The experience stayed with him. When he returned to Beck’s North and mentioned the story, one of the employees jokingly asked whether his next ticket would be the winner.

Steve

He asked me, ‘Will this one be the winner?’ I took that as a sign when I bought this $5 ticket — and that decision made me a millionaire.

The winning ticket also earned Beck’s North a $10,000 retailer bonus, equal to one percent of the prize value.

A Birthday Gift and More Time With Family

The timing of the win couldn’t have been better, as Steve went on to explain:

Steve

This win came just in time. I’ll tell you what, this is the best birthday gift I’ve ever gotten.

Although Steve opted to keep personal details apart from his name private, he did share how he plans to use the prize money. The list includes several practical purchases, such as home improvement projects, building a new garage, and buying another car. His biggest priority, however, isn’t anything he can buy.

Steve

But most importantly, I’m looking forward to spending more time in Arizona during the winter. My son lives there, so it’ll be great to visit him more often.