Shop awaits ID of $7M Lotto winner

Friday, November 10, 2006 posted 11:14 AM EST

LOVES PARK — When the winning numbers for the state Lotto were reported at 6 a.m. Thursday, Vince Chiaramonte, owner of Vince’s Depot in Loves Park, knew he had a winner. He just wasn’t sure it was his ticket.

The winning ticket for Wednesday’s $7 million prize was sold at his store, and Chiaramonte grabbed his ticket to check. No luck. But his store does receive commission for the sale, not a bad consolation prize.

"We get one percent — seventy thousand,” he said. “Nice, huh?"

Inside his store, customers congratulated Chiaramonte and other store employees. Each time the door opens, Chiaramonte wonders if the lucky winner is walking in to claim the prize. That hasn’t happened yet, but Chiaramonte has a prediction of who might be the new millionaire.

“There’s one girl who’s a good possibility," he said. "It wasn’t a Quick-Pick, so the person played their own numbers. She had been playing the same ones for a while."

The winning Lotto numbers are 8-14-22-36-44-52. The winner has 60 days from the date of the drawing to decide whether to claim a one-time lump sum or a 26-year annuity. The lump-sum payment will be approximately $3,570,000, or 51 percent of the advertised jackpot, before taxes.

Those who claim the prize more than 60 days after the drawing automatically receive the annuity, where the Lottery purchases a U.S. government-backed security to be paid out in annual installments over 26 years. The ticket remains valid one year from the date of the drawing.

"I’d be here in a minute," said Machesney Park resident Bill Hurd, a lottery player.

In the next few days, Chiaramonte expects his store to be buzzing with people buying tickets. His store, located on North Alpine Road, is building a reputation for selling winning tickets. A few months ago the winning ticket for a $420,000 Little Lotto jackpot was also bought there.

Sipping coffee inside the store, Hurd pondered what it would be like had he been the winner. He could only dream, because awhile back Hurd started playing the lottery at another store.

His wife forgot about that. When he was bowling a few hours earlier, she called him hoping he would tell her some good news.

"She called and asked me if I won," Hurd said. "I said, "If I won, I wouldn’t be bowling right now.’ "

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