“I’ve given away over $100,000 already,” Green told the Illinois Lottery. “When I was blessed with this prize, I knew I was finally in a position to give back, to help my friends and family, and to pay it forward.”
Green purchased the winning $10 ticket from Ruby’s Liquor, located at 1535 Butterfield Road in Aurora.
“The clerk couldn’t believe it, and I couldn’t believe it,” Green said. “He said, ‘Toni, sign your ticket and go straight home – you won a million dollars!’ I sat in my car in front of Ruby’s in total shock, and then I had an epiphany – I can help others, I can make a difference in somebody’s life with this money.”
Before the pandemic, Green had been a longtime school bus driver and most recently worked as a Certified Medical Assistant. Her passion for helping others has only grown since her big win.
“I get joy out of seeing other people’s happiness – and wondering how I can help be a part of that,” she said. “The other day I overheard a young woman who could only afford a gallon of gas, and I paid the clerk to fill up her tank. It’s not about what you can do for yourself, but what you can do for others.”
Toni purchased her $1 million winning scratch-off lottery ticket at Ruby’s Liquor, at 1535 Butterfield Road in Aurora. | Provided by Illinois Lottery
Ruby’s Liquor owner Anup Singh recounted the excitement at his store when Green won.
“Toni has won a few smaller prizes here and actually claimed our store as her ‘lucky store’ – she’s been coming regularly ever since,” Singh said. “My son, Jas, was working the day she won the million-dollar prize. He said she scratched the ticket and started screaming ‘Oh my gosh!’ She then had him scan the ticket multiple times, and sure enough – the $1 million prize was real.”
As a result of selling the winning ticket, Ruby’s Liquor received a $10,000 bonus from the Illinois Lottery.
“Our store has only been open for a couple of years, so it’s very exciting to receive this bonus – it’s definitely a big boost for our business,” Singh said. “We hope to spend the bonus on more inventory for our store, and if my son really is lucky, I might give a little bit to him for selling the winning ticket.”
For more information on the Illinois Lottery