Man wins $9.2 million lottery thanks to machine getting stuck trying to buy different ticket

An Illinois Lottery player can’t believe his luck after winning $9,2 million because he was actually trying to buy a ticket for a different game. (Illinois Lottery)

Chicago

An Illinois man got the lottery prize of a lifetime thanks to a Lotto machine malfunctioning.

The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, said he still can’t believe it after winning a $9.2 million jackpot because he was actually trying to buy a ticket for a different game.

“It was a normal day, just like any other. I was picking up groceries at Jewel and on my way out the door, I decided to buy a lottery ticket,” he explained.

According to the Illinois Lottery, the winner earned the nickname ‘Lucky Lotto Winner’ over what happened.

He said he was trying to buy a ticket for a different game that day when the machine got stuck on the Lotto game.

“I was a bit frustrated. I even asked ‘What is going on? The machine won’t give me the right game!’ So, I decided I may as well buy the Lotto ticket.”

The jackpot-winning ticket was purchased at a Jewel-Osco store in Addison for the Aug. 24 Lotto drawing.

The lucky winner held onto the ticket for about a month before claiming his prize.

The man’s winning ticket matched all six numbers of 2-15-21-29-42-44 to score the $9.2 million jackpot prize.

“The morning after the drawing, I scanned the ticket at a machine to check if it was a winner. When the machine showed the $9.2 million prize amount, I couldn’t believe it!” he said. “I looked at my wife and she was completely speechless. We are laughing now over how angry I was at the broken machine and so grateful for how it all turned out.”

The Jewel store will receive a $92,000 check for selling the winning ticket.

The $9.2 million prize is the second-largest Lotto jackpot hit this year in Illinois. The largest was in February when an Illinois Lottery player won $10.4 million on a ticket bought in Park Ridge.

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show features first transgender models in iconic show

New York

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York City on Tuesday featured the first transgender women to walk the stage in the iconic show.

Models Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani made history while hitting the runway with their fellow Victoria’s Secret models.

Sampaio shared a video of herself from that evening wearing black lingerie that has received thousands of loving reactions from her fans.

“The Victoria’s Secret family has shown the world that being trans is just as exceptional and beautiful as anyone else on that runway,” the Brazilian model shared. “Inclusivity is crucial to the world we’re building, and I’m honored to walk with pride, love, and the hope of inspiring the next generation.”

People reports that in 2019 Sampaio also became the first trans model to be featured in an ad campaign with Victoria’s Secret. The following year, she made history by becoming the first out trans person to model for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

Consani is originally from California and has gained a massive social media following, including more than 3.4 million TikTok followers.

She has walked in shows for several designers including Chloe and Burberry.

Consani took to social media to share her wearing a satin outfit featuring gray underwear and angular wings from Tuesday’s event.

“Little me is screaming, I can’t even say anything other than thank you,” she wrote in her post.

NBC News reports that this year’s show also featured some of the best-known models from previous Victoria’s Secret fashion shows like Adriana Lima and Tyra Banks as well as a performance by Cher.

Deputies help pregnant woman in labor get to hospital during Milton in time to deliver baby

Polk County deputies helped transport a pregnant woman to the hospital as she was going into labor during Hurricane Milton. (Polk County Sheriff's Office)

Polk County, Fla.

Deputies in Florida are being praised for their actions in helping get an expectant mother to the hospital during the wrath of Hurricane Milton.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 911 dispatch received a call just after 3 a.m. Thursday about a young pregnant woman going into labor.

Deputy Goolsby, Deputy Jones and Deputy Calderin responded to the call as Milton was still bearing down on Polk County.

Because of the high winds, ambulances were unable to transport patients. So, the deputies used their patrol vehicles to assist the expecting parents, Zenia and Javier, and a family member to the hospital.

Deputy Calderin drove Zenia and Javier in her patrol car while deputies Jones and Goolsby took care of transporting a relative.

Zenia ended up giving birth to a healthy baby girl named Jade later that day.

The Polk County deputies visited the family the following day to congratulate them while also receiving their own thank you.

First responders in Polk County have been working around the clock with rescue and cleanup efforts in the storm’s aftermath.

7-Eleven to close nearly 450 locations

A convenience store chain plans to close several hundred underperforming stores.

7-Eleven will be shutting down 444 locations due to a variety of issues.

CNN reports that the company announced the closures in a recent earnings report, citing slowing sales, declining traffic, inflationary pressures, and a decrease in cigarette purchases as the reasons.

7-Eleven has more than 13,000 U.S. locations and the closures would affect about 3% of its stores.

Seven & I Holdings, the chain’s Japan-based parent company, shared that the stores' sales have declined over the past several months, including a more than 7% drop in August.

A specific list of closing locations wasn’t immediately released.

Taylor Swift donates $5 million to Hurricane Helene and Milton recovery efforts

FILE — Taylor Swift helps with Hurricane Helene and Milton relief efforts with a $5 million donation. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP | AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Taylor Swift is donating millions of dollars to help those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot released a statement on Wednesday, confirming Swift’s donation.

“We’re incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for her generous $5 million donation to Hurricanes Helene and Milton relief efforts,” the statement read. “This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water, and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms.”

Babineaux-Fontenot continued to thank Swift for standing with them “to end hunger and for helping communities in need.”

The superstar’s donation comes just weeks after Helene made landfall in Florida as a deadly Category 4 hurricane.

Helene left miles of destruction across six states, causing catastrophic flooding and leaving hundreds dead.

Now this week, Milton is also making landfall in Florida and CNN reports many meteorologists are predicting the storm to be one of the most destructive on record in the area.

Variety reports that Swift has made similar contributions in the past, including a $1 million donation towards natural disaster relief after storms impacted Tennessee in December 2023.