Clerk Predicts Michigan Man's $5,000 A Week Cash for Life Win
Saturday November 14th 2020A Wayne County player said his "jaw hit the floor" when he won the top prize of $5,000 every week for life in the Michigan Lottery's Cash for Life instant game.
What made the prize particularly amazing was the fact that the clerk who sold him the lucky ticket predicted it would be a winner.
The 42-year-old player, who decided to stay anonymous, purchased the ticket when he stopped at Allways Gas, 125 South Merriman Road in Westland.
"I asked the clerk for a $10 Cash For Life ticket and when he pulled it, it fell on the floor," the player told Lottery officials. "He handed it to me and said: 'This is going to be a winner.' Boy, was he right.
"I scratched the ticket when I got home and in the third spot, I saw letters. My jaw hit the floor, and I haven’t been able to pick it up since."
The winner made a trip to Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing to collect his incredible win. He chose to receive a single cash lump sum of approximately $5.5 million instead of the annuity option of yearly payments of $260,000 for 20 years or his lifetime, whichever is longer.
The dad said his win has removed concerns about money. "It’s a great feeling to know I can live comfortably, take care of my kids, and worry a whole lot less," he said.
His plans include paying off bills and purchasing a new home, then investing the rest of his payout.
About Cash for Life
Michigan Lottery players have scored over $14 million in prizes on the $5,000 a week Cash for Life instant game since it was introduced in July. For $10 per play, players could win a variety of prizes from $10 up to $5,000 every week for life.
And there's over $51 million still to be won, including two $5,000 a week for life prizes and nine $2,000 prizes.
Fun fact: Michiganders won over $1.2 billion last year on instant games!
Players can choose from four versions of Cash for Life:
- $5,000 Cash for Life: Each ticket costs $10 for the chance to win a top prize of $5,000 a week for life.
- $2,500 Cash for Life: Each ticket costs $5 for the chance to win a top prize of $2,500 a week for life.
- $1,000 Cash for Life: Each ticket costs $2 for the chance to win a top prize of $1,000 a week for life.
- $500 Cash for Life: Each ticket costs $1 for the chance to win a top prize of $500 a week for life.
Grand Rapids player nearly loses out on $1 million The Big Spin win
A Grand Rapids man almost threw away a $1 million winning ticket for The Big Spin recently after misreading it. The lesson? Always check your numbers carefully!
"I was eating dinner with my family and went to use the restroom," the player, who opted to stay anonymous, told Lottery officials. "The ticket machine caught my eye on the way back to the table, so I got a couple tickets.
"We were wrapping up, so I scratched them pretty fast and thought they were all losers and tossed them to the side," he said. That could have been the end of the story, but the player's luck still hadnt run out. "Something told me to look at them again and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a $1 million winner," he revealed.
The player purchased his ticket at Tommy Brann’s Steakhouse at 4157 South Division Street in Wyoming. He chose to receive his winnings as a lump sum payout totalling about $634,000. The other option was to receive the full amount in yearly annuity payments.
The lucky winner said he will use his windfall to buy a new home and support his father to start a long-dreamed-of business.
Players have won over $31 million since The Big Spin instant game started in July last year. Tickets cost $10 and there's the chance to win prizes from $10 up to $1 million. If you haven't played yet, now is a good time to pick up a ticket - there's $44 million remaining to be won, including two $1 million prizes, three $10,000 prizes, and 88 $1,000 prizes.
Ingham County man strikes $500,000 Holiday Gold
The Michigan Lottery recently launched its 2020 holiday season instant games, and the Holiday Gold game has already lived up to its name for one Ingham County player.
The 60-year-old won $500,000 on the lucky scratch-off ticket he purchased at Rich Oil, located at 601 West Bellevue in Leslie, around 25 miles south of Lansing.
"I like playing the new instant games when they come out, so I bought a Holiday Gold ticket," the winner said. "I scratched it when I got home and had a moment of disbelief. It took me about a half hour to tell my wife.
"It’s still sinking in that I won, but I know this will change my life. I’ll be able to pay some bills, and then maybe even retire a little sooner than I had planned."
Michigan players have collected over $3 million in Holiday Gold prizes since the game was introduced in October. For $10, players could win between $10 and the top prize of $500,000. There's still more than $25 million out there to be won, with two $500,000 and 15 $2,000 prizes up for grabs.
Check your Lotto 47 tickets! Jackpot winners in Ferndale and Lake Odessa
On Saturday, November 7, two lucky tickets split a record $32.3 million MI Lotto 47 prize. The tickets were sold at the Select Wine Shop, 1318 West 9 Mile Road in Ferndale and the Shell station, 1203 Jordan Lake Street in Lake Odessa. Both tickets matched all the numbers drawn: 4, 16, 33, 38, 40 and 44.
Each ticket is worth $16.14 million if the winner opts for annual annuity payments over 30 years - or they may instead choose to be paid a smaller amount as a lump sum one-time payout. Either way, the winners must claim their prizes within one year from the draw date.
Could you be one of the winners of this amazing prize? The free Michigan Lottery app makes it easy to check your numbers for Lotto 47 and other exciting Michigan and multi-state games.
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