Lotto Winner Comes Forward to Claim $4 Million - Illinois Lottery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tracy Owens (312) 793-1682 (office)(312) 590-9933 (cell)Laura Lehmann (312) 475-5901 (office)(773) 226-2392 (cell)Lotto Winner Comes Forward to Claim $4 MillionCuba, Ill., Man Has Plans for a Harley and Retirement with WinningsCUBA, Ill. – March 4, 2009 – King of the road, Rodney Henderson, 46, is the grand prize winner of$4,000,000 from the February 23, 2009, Illinois Lottery Lotto drawing. The avid Harley Davidsonmotorcycle rider plans to spend more time taking care of his Road King® and maybe add another tohis collection.“After I found out I won the jackpot, I bought new tires for my bike,” said Henderson. “Thenext day, when I went to work, everyone thought I had bought a new Harley. Boy the rumors spreadfast!”Within a couple of hours of checking his ticket at the Mapleton Mini Mart, the news ofHenderson’s good fortune spread throughout the area and to his hometown of Cuba, Ill. From there thenews landed at Henderson’s employer, a steel company in Pekin, Ill.“I have received so many phone calls from friends and family to congratulate me,” saidHenderson. “Everyone is so happy for me and is wondering what I am going to do with the money.”Henderson, a modest man, says he plans to pay off a few bills and invest the rest of the moneyfor his retirement. He plans to keep working at the steel company as a maintenance lead, buy that newHarley that everyone already thought he purchased, and continue to spend a few dollars a weekplaying the Lottery!-more-

“We love to have winners like Rodney, who have fun playing the Lottery and plan to savetheir money and invest in their future,” said Jodie Winnett, acting superintendent for the IllinoisLottery. “At the same time, we’re glad he is going to splurge a little with his plans for a new Harley.”The winning ticket was sold at the Mapleton Mini Mart, located at 8626 W. Wheeler Road inMapleton, Ill., and the winning numbers were 7, 14, 21, 29, 32 and 40. Mapleton Mini Mart willreceive a $40,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.About the Illinois LotteryFounded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery is a state agency with annual sales over $2 billion. Since itsinception, the Lottery has contributed more than $14 billion to the state Common School Fund toassist K-12 public schools. Players must be at least 18 years old. For more information on the IllinoisLottery please visit our Web site at www.illinoislottery.com.