Grandmother Predicts Lottery Win

“My 88 year old NaNa always said I would win the lottery and I did!” Monique Abbate told Illinois Lottery staff when she presented her $2 million winning $2,000,000 EXTRAVAGANZA! instant ticket at the Prize Center in Springfield.

The Forest View resident was sitting in her car when she scratched the $2,000,000 EXTRAVAGANZA! ticket and instantly became a millionaire. “I started screaming! I couldn’t believe it!” She rushed home to share the news with her mother and grandmother, slowing down just enough to first set up a video camera. “I wanted to record their reactions when I told them that I won and I’m so glad I did – the video is awesome!”

Abbate, 39, is a school administrator and has a Bachelor and two Masters degrees. She plans to use her winnings to pay off student loans. She also plans to take 14 friends and family members on a vacation later this month. “I told my NaNa I would take her anywhere in the world and she chose Las Vegas, so that’s where we’re all going.” $2,000,000 EXTRAVAGANZA is a $10 instant ticket with a top prize of $2,000,000. There is still one prize of $2,000,000 yet to be claimed. Overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 3.56.