Genesee County Man Wins $25,000 a Year for Life
A man from Genesee County, Michigan, named Carl Cooper, recently experienced a life-changing moment when he won $25,000 a year for life from the Michigan Lottery’s Lucky For Life game. Cooper’s winning ticket matched the five white balls drawn on September 23: 01-21-24-27-48. He purchased his winning ticket at Ernie’s Beer & Wine in Clio, located about 20 miles southeast of Saginaw. Cooper has been playing Lucky For Life for several years using the same set of numbers each time. Upon realizing he had won, Cooper was initially excited to match three numbers and thought he might have won $5,000. When he confirmed it was $25,000 a year for life, he began pacing his house in disbelief. The news broadcasted information about the big win in Clio as Cooper watched, confirming his win further. At age 67, Cooper chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of annual payments. He plans to purchase a new snow blower and save the remaining money. The Lucky For Life game has been particularly lucky for players in 2024 with 13 winners claiming life-changing prizes of $25,000 a year for life so far that year. To win the top prize of $1,000 a day for life in Lucky For Life, players must match all five winning numbers plus one Lucky Ball. Matching just the five numbers without the Lucky Ball wins $25,000 a year for life. Drawings occur daily at 10:38 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at lottery retailers across Michigan or online at MichiganLottery.com.
Oakland County Ticket Holder Sought by Michigan Lottery
In another exciting development, Michigan Lottery officials are searching for a player who won $25,000 a year for life. The winning ticket was from the Lucky for Life game and matched the numbers 04-07-09-24-36 in a Friday drawing. The ticket was purchased at Lakeview Market, located at 9775 Elizabeth Lake Rd. in White Lake Township. Lucky for Life winners can choose between annual payments of $25,000 for at least 20 years or life, whichever is longer, or a one-time lump sum cash payment of $390,000. Officials have requested that the winner contact the Michigan Lottery Player Relations Division at (844) 917-6325 to schedule an appointment to claim their prize at lottery headquarters in Lansing. Lucky for Life tickets are valid for one year from the drawing date. In 2024, another 13 players won lifetime Lucky for Life prizes; two of these winners have not yet claimed their prizes from drawings on September 22 and September 23. One unclaimed ticket was bought at Sunshine Liquor Shop in Redford Township, and the other at Ernie’s Beer and Wine in Clio. A Macomb County man recently claimed a $4.57 million Lotto 47 jackpot last month. A Traverse City woman won a $1 million Powerball jackpot from an August 24 drawing.
Consistent Play Leads to Big Win for Michigan Man
A Michigan man consistently used the same set of numbers in lottery tickets and won nearly $400,000. Carl Cooper from Clio won $25,000 a year for life from the Michigan Lottery with a ticket purchased at Ernie’s Beer & Wine in Clio. Cooper matched five white balls drawn on September 23rd and chose to take his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000. He plans to buy a new snow blower and save the rest of his winnings. This story highlights the importance of persistence and the potential rewards of sticking with a strategy over time.
Detroit Lions Fan Scores Big with Scratch-Off Game
A Michigan woman named Traci Verbowski won $500,000 on a Detroit Lions-themed scratch-off game. Verbowski, a resident of Kawkawlin, decided to stay home instead of going on a planned weekend trip. She went out for dinner and remembered she had some winning Detroit Lions tickets to cash in. After purchasing more tickets from a 7-Eleven in Bay City, she discovered her $500,000 win later that night. Verbowski expressed excitement and anxiety about claiming her prize and did not sleep well after finding out about the win. She is glad she changed her plans and did not go on vacation that weekend. Verbowski visited the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim her prize and plans to buy a boat and save the rest of the money. The Detroit Lions-themed scratch-off game was launched in September, with overall odds of winning at 1 in 3.95. There are still two top prizes available for this game according to Michigan’s Lottery commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. Lottery tickets can be purchased at various locations including gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, some airport terminals, or online through Jackpocket in certain U.S. states and territories.
Mega Millions Draws Attention Despite No Jackpot Winner
The Mega Millions drawing for Friday, October 4, 2024, did not have a jackpot winner. The estimated jackpot for this drawing was $108 million, with a cash option of $52.2 million. Winning numbers for the October 4 drawing were: 45, 21, 43, 39, and 42. The Mega Ball was 3 and the Megaplier was 2x. No one won the Mega Millions jackpot in this drawing. The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 8. Drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. The upcoming jackpot will be at least $800 million with a cash option of $401.8 million. In Michigan, tickets can be purchased in-store or online until 10:45 p.m. on the night of the draw. Playing Mega Millions costs $2 per ticket. The Megaplier feature increases non-jackpot prizes by two to five times and costs an extra $1 per play. It is drawn before each Mega Millions drawing from a pool of balls marked with multipliers (five with 2X, six with 3X, three with 4X, and one with 5X). Odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot by matching all five white balls and the Mega Ball are approximately 1 in 302,575,350. Winning numbers can be found on YouTube or posted on both the Mega Millions website and Michigan Lottery website. Jackpot winners can choose between an annuity or a cash payment: Annuity: One immediate payment followed by annual payments over 29 years; each payment is increased by 5% to account for inflation and maintain purchasing power. Cash Option: A one-time lump-sum payment equal to all cash in the prize pool. If multiple people win the jackpot in the same draw, they share the prize equally among all winning tickets.
August’s Biggest Michigan Lottery Prizes
The two largest Michigan Lottery prizes in August were valued at least $4 million each. The biggest prize was a Lotto 47 ticket purchased online by a player registered in Macomb, winning a $4.57 million jackpot on August 17. The second-largest prize was from a World Class Millions instant ticket bought at Royal Liquor Food Mart in Jackson, winning one of the game’s three top prizes worth $4 million. These tickets were among 14 prizes worth $100,000 or more claimed or won during the month.
Lucky for Life Continues to Reward Michigan Players
The “Lucky for Life” lottery game in Michigan has seen a third winner in a week, with the prize being $25,000 a year for life. The latest winning ticket was purchased at Lakeview Market in White Lake, Michigan. The winning numbers were 04-07-09-24-36. This marks the 13th time this year that someone has won a life-changing prize from the “Lucky for Life” game. In addition to these wins, Michigan Lottery players also won a $5 million Mega Millions prize and a $1.72 million Lotto 47 jackpot recently. Winners have one year from the drawing date to claim their prize and can choose between annual payments of $25,000 for life or 20 years (whichever is longer) or a lump-sum payment of $390,000. Prizes must be claimed at the Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing by scheduling an appointment through their Player Relations Division. A previous Mega Millions winner worth $1 million went unclaimed, and the money was allocated to the state’s School Aid Fund. The last major jackpot winners from Michigan were members of the Breakfast Club lottery club who won an $842 million jackpot in June 2024; they plan to buy a home in Florida and travel with their winnings. Players are advised to check their tickets immediately after purchase to avoid missing out on potential winnings.
In conclusion, the Michigan Lottery continues to change lives with its exciting games and substantial prizes. From life-long annuities to massive lump sums, winners across the state are experiencing the thrill of hitting the jackpot. Whether it’s through consistent play, a lucky scratch-off, or a strategic choice of numbers, the opportunities for winning are abundant. As the stories of these winners show, a single ticket can indeed lead to a lifetime of possibilities.
