He had $1 million Powerball winning ticket in his wallet for six weeks and didn’t know it
September 17, 2012 5:34PM
Andres Salgado of Elk Grove Village / photo from Illinois Lottery
Updated: September 17, 2012 5:42PM
Could that old lottery ticket in your wallet be a big winner just waiting to be found?
It was for an Elk Grove Village man, who had a $1 million Powerball ticket in his wallet for nearly two months and didn’t know it.
Andres Salgado of Elk Grove Village is a regular Powerball player, but never checked the ticket he bought for the July 25 drawing, according to the Illinois lottery.
“For some reason, I didn’t check my ticket right away, then I checked and I couldn’t believe I won,” Salgado said.
He matched the first five numbers in the drawing — 03-14-35-38-46.
Salgado bought the $2 Quick Pick ticket at the Golf Mobil Mart at 1 W. Golf Rd. in Hoffman Estates, the same place he purchased his previously largest winning ticket of $20.
Salgado, who is married with 16- and 21-year-old sons, called the money a “blessing” and said he will use some of it to send his sons to college, pay off his home and invest.
