UPTOWN — The Illinois Lottery announced Thursday that Chicago woman Thu Ha Thi Tran has claimed a $1 million Mega Millions prize she won after buying a lottery ticket at an Uptown food market.
Tran's ticket matched the first five numbers in a Dec. 17 Mega Millions drawing: 8, 14, 17, 20 and 39. While matching all six numbers (the last winning digit was 7) would have earned her a $636 million jackpot, the first five numbers still won her $1 million.
Tran wasn't immediately reachable for comment.
The winning ticket was purchased at Tai Nam Food Market, 4925 N. Broadway, in the Uptown neighborhood. The retailer received a $10,000 bonus, 1 percent of the prize amount, for selling the winning ticket, according to lottery officials.
Phieu Tran, co-owner of the market, said that the announcement by Illinois Lottery officials and subsequent media coverage generated a lot of "publicity, attention" and business at the market.
"People hear about it and get in a good mood. They think that if we have luck that we'll spread it around, and people come here to buy tickets," he said.
