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A grieving father facing eviction over unpaid bills found a $4.85million winning lottery ticket in his dead daughter’s bedroom.

Ricardo Cerezo was left devastated by the death of his 14-year-old daughter Savannah, who died in August last year following a number of seizures.

In February, the family was dealt another blow after they were warned they faced losing their home, in Chicago, to foreclosure, the Beacon News reported.

Mr Cerezo was just days from eviction when his wife encouraged him to check a stash of lottery tickets kept in a cookie jar in his daughter’s bedroom, which was left untouched for months following her death.

The grieving dad drove to a nearby gas station where one of the unchecked tickets, bought on February 2, was found to be worth $4,850,000.

"I can’t believe I had $4.85 million in a cookie jar for over three months!" Mr Cerezo told the Illinois Lottery, who presented him with his cheque last week.

But he added that the win is tinged with regret that their daughter cannot share in the family’s joy.

Mr Cerezo added: “The honest first reaction was mammoth regret. Regret because our youngest wasn't here to enjoy this.”

But he added that he is able to find peace in the “incredible gift” from his daughter.

"Faith tells us our best days are ahead of us," he told the Beacon-News.