One of the winners won an $11.6 million jackpot in Saturday's drawing, marking the biggest Illinois Lottery prize of 2026 so far.

CHICAGO — A Chicagoland music producer is ending the month on a high note after hitting a jackpot prize on an Illinois Lottery ticket. The big winner, who chose to remain anonymous, snagged a $1,000,001.

It was a winning weekend for Illinois Lottery players, with nearly $12.8 million in prizes won across three games, including an $11.6 million Lotto jackpot.

After the Dec. 25 drawing, lottery officials said she was relaxing and watching television when she got an email notifying her of her win. At first, the woman admitted that she thought the email “was a glitch.” However, she soon realized it was real.

After a last-minute stop, an Illinois player won $3M on an Illinois Lottery Royal Riches ticket; the retailer earns a $30K bonus for the sale.