Retired teacher accidentally buys $20 lottery ticket while watching a movie then wins $250K jackpot

A retired teacher’s quiet night at home turned into a life-changing moment after an online lottery purchase she never meant to make resulted in a $250,000 jackpot.

Holly, a retired educator from Johnston City, Illinois, was watching a movie when she decided to buy a lottery ticket online. She intended to purchase a $2 Booming Bucks FastPlay ticket, but accidentally selected the $20 Magnificent Multiplier FastPlay game instead.

Her first reaction was frustration after realising she had spent more than planned. “Oh shoot! I didn’t want to spend that much,” she recalled.

The frustration quickly turned to disbelief when Holly checked her ticket from her home office and saw that she had won the game’s top prize. “I honestly thought my computer had crashed!” she said.

She immediately shared the news with her husband, who initially thought she was joking or creating a meme late at night. Once he saw the winning ticket, the reality of the moment set in.

Now enjoying her retirement, Holly plans to use the unexpected windfall for meaningful personal goals, including building a new family home and purchasing a baby grand piano to continue pursuing her love of music.

The Illinois Lottery’s FastPlay games provide instant results without number selection or traditional drawings. Holly’s experience shows that even a small mistake can sometimes lead to an extraordinary surprise.