Batavia woman wins $7.25M Lotto

Illinois Lottery officials Tuesday announced that Ancelma Martinez was the winner in the Dec. 17 Lotto drawing. She matched all six numbers – 2-15-18-23-50-52.

Martinez elected to receive her prize in a one-time payment of $5,513,306, the release stated.

“We’ve known her for years,” said Rick Niedfeldt, franchise owner of the store. “They’re a nice couple, her and her husband. We’re happy for them. I’m sure they can put the money to good use for their family.”

Niedfeldt and his wife, Marlene, are Batavia residents and have owned the 7-Eleven store since it opened in 1987. This is the first time the store has sold a ticket with such a big prize, the couple said. For selling the winning Quick Pick ticket, the store will receive 1 percent of the prize, or $72,500.

Neither Martinez nor her family could be reached for comment. According to a news release from the Illinois Lottery, Martinez said she was at Lumes Pancake House in Batavia having breakfast with her husband when she checked out the winning lottery numbers in the Kane County Chronicle and found out she was a millionaire.

“I almost spilled my coffee everywhere,” Martinez said in the release. “I was very surprised. I still can’t believe I won.”

Martinez and her husband have lived in Batavia for 33 years. They have five children and six grandchildren.

Martinez has been playing one $2 Lotto ticket each week, “for many years,” according to the release. This was the second Batavia 7-Eleven to sell a multimillion-dollar winning Lotto ticket in 2012.

In March 2012, a Batavia resident came forward to claim a $3 million winning Lotto ticket that was sold at the 7-Eleven on Fabyan Parkway in Batavia. The man, who wished to remain anonymous, bought the ticket on St. Patrick’s Day. He opted for the lump sum payment of $2,127,660.

The 7-Eleven store at 710 E. Fabyan Parkway received a bonus of $30,000 for selling the winner the lucky ticket.