A 52-year-old Palos Hills man recently won $250,000 from a scratch-off lottery ticket, according to Illinois Lottery officials.
Nasir Abobakr bought the Tax Refund ticket from the Oak Lawn Shell, 5601 W. 87th St., officials said.
Abobakr told Lottery officials he plans to take his family to visit their native country of Yemen with the winnings.
According to Lottery officials, Abobakr decided to buy the ticket while at the gas station but didn’t find out he won until he returned home. He said the grand prize is “much better than my income tax refund” after presenting the winning ticket to the Lottery Prize Center in Chicago.
“When I realized I won, all I could think about was sharing this prize with my wife and children. It is a blessing for all of us,” Abobakr said.
The Tax Refund ticket has four $250,000 grand prizes, two of which have been claimed, Lottery officials said. Abobakr claimed the ticket last month.
The gas station will receive one percent of $2,500 as a bonus for selling the winning ticket.