Illinois Man Wins $200K from Lottery, Plans Trip to France

What we perceive as setbacks can sometimes be blessings in disguise. This was certainly so for Clarence Neuenkirchen, a grandfather from Illinois who just won a grand prize from the local lottery.

Neuenkirchen Beat 1 in 1.8 Million Odds

Neuenkirchen, as it turns out, is a big fan of the $5 Crossword tickets sold at his nearby grocery store. While he might have felt a bit disappointed to learn that the Oswego Jewel-Osco he frequents had sold out all Crossword tickets during one of his latest visits, the man decided to go with his second favorite ticket instead.

As a result, Neuenkirchen bought a 7X Bingo Multiplier ticket, only to beat 1 in 1.8 million odds and win the $200,000 top prize.

The Jewel-Osco store, meanwhile, will receive a $2,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

The Man Is Planning to Take His Wife to France

Neuenkirchen told the Illinois Lottery that, although he prefers the $5 Crossroad tickets, the 7X Bingo Multiplier tickets also have a special place in his heart. He described the latter type of tickets as “like a little escape” since he can take his time playing them.

For context, the 7X Bingo Multiplier game requires players to scratch the caller’s 30 numbers and 5 bonus numbers. The player, meanwhile, needs to match these numbers to their own in order to win.

Neuenkirchen noted that his wife was overjoyed to learn of his win. Instead of doubting him like other winners’ significant others tend to do, she “kept jumping up and down” so much that Neuenkirchen thought she was going to “break the floor.”

As for his plans for the money, the man said that he plans to invest in his retirement and set up an education fund for his grandchildren. In addition to that, he plans to treat himself and his wife to a cruise in the Gulf and maybe a vacation in France.

Other Recent Jackpot Winners

In other jackpot-related news, the Ohio Lottery recently announced that a $10 White Diamonds scratch-off ticket has granted its buyer the $300,000 top prize. The winning ticket was sold at Norton BP, which received a $3,000 sales bonus.

Elsewhere, a couple in Ontario won $34 million while on a date night. While the win took over three decades of marriage to materialize, it was certainly a life-changing event for the two players.