CHICAGO, Ill. – To celebrate Memorial Day, Joyce Davis’ sisters traveled from Alabama to Chicago for a visit. Her sisters said they wanted to try their luck with the Illinois Lottery while in town, so Joyce took them to the local Longwood Foods grocery store. When the women returned home and began to scratch off their tickets, Joyce discovered she had won $100,000, thanks to her Five Star Cash ticket.

Winning such a large sum proved surprising to everyone – Joyce included. Even after seeing all those zeros, she couldn’t quite believe her good fortune. After a few days, Joyce took her ticket to the Lottery claims office, where officials confirmed the good news. “I couldn’t believe it when they told me that I’d actually won,” Joyce said. “It’s hard to explain how it felt. I can’t really compare that moment to anything else.”

Joyce plays the Lottery three times a week, sticking mostly with Pick 3, which became her favorite game after she won $1,200 playing it several years ago. Although she only bought her instant ticket on a whim with her sisters, Joyce says she’s becoming a big fan of instant games.

Joyce plans to use her winnings to help her grandchildren attend private school, pay off bills and renovate her home. The lucky Lottery player has already begun to enjoy her $100,000 prize with a trip to Alabama to spend more time with her sisters.

Longwood Foods, located at 11106 S Longwood Drive, in Chicago, will receive a bonus of 1 percent of the total prize, or $1,000, for selling the winning ticket.