CHICAGO – When Illinois Lottery player Yevgeniy Zharikov first checked his Powerball ticket, he thought he had won $5. However, after the sales clerk advised him to keep his ticket in a safe place, he quickly took a second look.
“I thought it was $5 at first, and then I checked again and it was $50,000. I couldn’t believe it!”
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The Mount Prospect resident has made playing the Illinois Lottery a part of his refuel routine. When he stops to fill up his gas tank, he steps inside the store and picks up a couple of quick pick tickets in hopes of one day hitting the jackpot.
“I always get gas at the same place, and usually stop in to pick up a pack of gum and a Mega Millions and Powerball ticket,” he said. “I’ve won a small amount a few times, but this is the biggest prize I’ve ever won.”
The winning ticket was purchased at Busse Shell, 927 S. Busse Road, in Mount Prospect for the Powerball draw on February 8.
Zharikov was excited to share the news of his win with his family and beyond both saving and paying bills, has big plans for how he hopes to spend his winnings.
“I would like to take a vacation and plan a trip when things get better,” he said.
His next go-to destination has not yet been decided, but Zharikov’s passport includes stamps from his previous travels to Europe, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Zharikov continues to play his favorite draw games in hopes of taking home the big prize someday and the advice he would share with other players who hope to score a big win someday is simple:
“You’ve got to be grateful and keep playing.”
The Powerball jackpot for the next draw is an estimated $114 million with a cash value of $91.6 million. Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are broadcast live every Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold.
