Steve Durbin – an Illinois native – had quite the grocery store trip recently. After stopping at a Kroger grocery store to pick up some steaks, Durbin decided to purchase ten $1 Quick Pick tickets. The results? Durbin is taking home a hefty Illinois Lotto jackpot prize of over $20 million.
Durbin, 69, had just recently married his new bride, Wilma, and the two were looking forward to a new life together. Little did they know, that new life would be a wealthy one.
The winning ticket was bought on April 10, a Thursday, and it wasn’t until the next Friday morning that Durbin realized that he had matched the six winning numbers of 1-7-9-21-22-32.
“I don’t normally buy Lotto tickets,” Durbin said.
I’m sure Durbin is ecstatic he ruined the steaks that he had previously bought, which was his reason for his trip to the grocery store.
“It was shocking,” Durbin said.
Telling His Wife About the Illinois Lotto Jackpot Win
After taking the ticket to his new bride’s office – where Wilma works as an insurance agent – Durbin said to his wife, “Well, I think I should tell you that our life is going to change drastically.”
Wilma’s initial response was to wonder and ask if her dog had passed away, saying, “People say that (they’ve won the lottery) all the time. Who believes them?”
She said that since the win was confirmed she hasn’t got a bit of sleep.
The couple decided to take the cash option of $11.6 million, which works out to about $8.1 million after state and federal taxes.
Plans for the Money
When asked exactly what he plans to do with the money, Durbin said, “Spend some, share some, and save some.”
Wilma plans to keep her job as an insurance agent and Steve has been retired from the Illinois Department of Corrections since 2009.
That’s a recipe to ensure that the two won’t become another one of the unfortunate lottery stories that we hear all too often.
“All we’ve ever needed is family, friends, and faith,” Wilma said.
Steve and Wilma have already said that they plan to use the money to do some traveling and possibly purchase a new car or a house. They both mentioned Mount Rushmore and Italy as potential travel destinations.
A Fitting Ending to a Feel Good Story
Durbin was understandably excited about his recent luck, claiming, “I’ve hit the lottery twice,” when referring to his recent marriage to Wilma. The couple had just recently returned from their honeymoon in New Orleans and this was quite the wedding present from above. The grocery store in which the ticket was bought – a Kroger at 201 E. Bidwell St. in Taylorville – will receive one percent of the jackpot for selling the ticket. Kroger District Manager Todd Graham said that the $202,500 will partly go towards a celebration for the employees. That’s certainly a fitting end to this feel good story.
About Marry Levental
Hi, my name is Marry and you can find me on Google+. I`m a little bit crazy about the lottery and writing about it is my real vocation. The lottery is a cool thing and I don`t share the opinion that it`s a tax on the poor. Look around, the world is full of chances. Why don`t you get yours right now? All you need to do is to read our recommendations and to start playing lottery online. Good luck!
