Buffalo Grove Woman Wins $2 Million in Lottery

A Buffalo Grove woman won $2 million on a Merry Millionaire instant lottery ticket, the Illinois Lottery announced Wednesday. 

Sharon Lichtman bought the winner ticket at Dominick’s, 450 Half Day Road, the lottery said in a press release.

“I’m so sad that my Dominick’s store is closing, however, I am so happy I won the lottery there! What a wonderful way to say good-bye,” Lichtman said in the statement.

All Chicago area Dominick's stores are closing at the end of the year. The Half Day Road location has been purchased by Mariano's.

Lichtman she she was “picking up a few things for dinner” when she decided to treat herself to an instant ticket. She bought her ticket out of the lottery self-service machine and scratched it while she was still in the store.

“At first I thought I won $1,000 and then I looked more closely and couldn’t believe what I was seeing! I went home as quickly as I could, signed the back of my ticket and put it in our safe,” she said.

Lichtman chose to take the cash option payment of $1.2 million in lieu of the 20-year annuity. She will receive $840,000 after the required withholding.

Lichtman and her husband Marc plan to share the winnings with their two sons and invest for retirement. “This lottery win is a dream come true for us,” she said.

Dominick’s will receive a $20,000 bonus, 1 percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket.