ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A lucky woman, shopping at a Rockford Walmart, won $500,000 on an Illinois Lottery ticket.

According to the Illinois Lottery, the player won the top prize on a $10 Holiday Bucks scratch off ticket.

“I was running errands at Walmart and decided to grab one of the new holiday-themed tickets on my way out,” said the anonymous winner, nicknamed “Jessie.” “I was in a hurry, so I just scratched the barcode on the ticket and scanned it at the machine. You wouldn’t believe how big my eyes got when “$500,000” popped up on the screen!"

“I thought the machine was just showing how much you could win with this ticket — not what I’d actually won,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it! I even asked the clerk to double check, but told her, ‘Don’t tell anyone!’”

Jesse purchased her

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