by Hank Brockett
7/20/01
But for some unknown out there, those six numbers add up to a $19 million payday. By the luck of plastic balls and some bursts of air, those six numbers matched a ticket sold at two other lucky numbers, 7-Eleven, 235 W. Romeo Road. There, the unidentified gambler bought a quick-pick ticket, a ticket with six randomly generated numbers.
Anne Plohr, a spokeswoman for the Illinois State Lottery, said no one has come forward since the 9:22 p.m. Wednesday drawing, but that's nothing new. A June 19 winner took nearly a month before coming out of hiding.
But already someone's a winner.
Ida Cannell, franchise owner of the 7-Eleven, said this was the first big winner ever from that location.
"We're on cloud nine right now, it was quite a surprise this morning," she said.
And she has a stake, too.
The store that sells the ticket receives 1 percent of the winnings, in this case a cool $190,000.
Even without the money, Cannell said she is happy whenever someone wins money from the lottery.
In the past, a few five-number-matchers came out with some extra money, but those prizes were nothing compared to the latest winner.
And that award, separate from the ticket's winnings, doesn't depend on the winner redeeming the ticket -- wherever he or she may be.
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