Illinois Lottery Seeks Claimant for $5.6 Million Unclaimed Jackpot

The Illinois Lottery has initiated the standard procedure to locate the rightful claimant of a substantial $5.6 million prize, awarded in the Lotto drawing held on March 23. The winning ticket was acquired from Royals Liquor, situated at 1805 N. Belt West in Belleville, Illinois, and correctly matched all six numbers drawn: 5, 18, 27, 33, 40, and 49.

As of the latest reports, the individual possessing this significant winning ticket has yet to come forward to claim their entitlement. This unclaimed jackpot stands as the second-largest prize awarded in the state for the year 2026, according to official lottery records.

Bhavik Patel, co-owner of Royals Liquor, recounted the moment he learned his establishment had sold the winning ticket. "I received a call this morning from a customer informing me that our store had sold the jackpot-winning ticket. Initially, I suspected it might be a practical joke, as such news can be difficult to believe over the phone," Patel stated to lottery officials. He further confirmed his surprise upon verifying the information on the Illinois Lottery's official website, where Royals Liquor was indeed listed as the retailer for the top prize.

Patel conveyed both his astonishment and satisfaction that one of his store's patrons secured the multi-million dollar sum. In recognition of selling the winning ticket, Royals Liquor is also slated to receive a customary retailer bonus from the Illinois Lottery, a standard practice designed to reward participating vendors.

This recent win contributes to an active period for lottery payouts in Illinois. The largest jackpot recorded for 2026 in the "Prairie State" remains an $11.6 million prize, which was claimed following a drawing on January 24. Additionally, earlier in March, another player secured a $500,000 prize through the Lucky Day Lotto, further highlighting the frequency of significant wins within the state's lottery system. The Illinois Lottery continues to encourage all players who purchased tickets for the March 23 drawing in Belleville to meticulously check their numbers.