Illinois lottery officials were the ones to confirm that the billion-dollar ticket was sold at a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Des Plaines, a small city of around 60,000. The city is located roughly 17 miles northwest of Chicago and was the site for most of the filming for 1985 film The Breakfast Club, at the now closed Maine North High School.
“It’s a surreal feeling giving away this amount of money and knowing what a huge impact this is going to make on the winners’ lives, and for others close to them as well,” Illinois Lottery claims manager Luis Rodriguez said. “It was an incredible feeling just to be part of that process – so I can only imagine how the winners themselves are feeling.”