LANSING, Mich. – An Ogemaw County man nearly missed out on playing his Lotto 47 numbers, but a last-minute stop led to him winning the game's $17 million jackpot.
The 57-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous, matched all six Lotto 47 numbers drawn Aug. 24: 05-15-21-28-38-43. He bought the winning ticket at the Checkered Flag Party Store, located 2015 South M-33 in West Branch.
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"I usually buy a Lotto 47 ticket every Friday along with a Mega Millions ticket," said the player. "For whatever reason, I forgot to get the Lotto 47 ticket, so Saturday morning I was on my way by the party store and decided to stop and play my numbers.
"I got up Sunday and checked my ticket with my phone. As soon as I realized I'd matched all six numbers all I could say was: ‘Oh my god!'"
The player visited Lottery headquarters Tuesday to claim the big prize. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of about $10.8 million, rather than 30 annuity payments for the full amount. With his winnings he plans to buy a new house and then save the remainder.
"Winning brings a lot of financial relief, but also a lot of responsibility. I'm going to be smart with this money so it lasts for my family," the player said.
Each Lotto 47 play is only $1. Players select six numbers from one to 47 for a chance to win a jackpot starting at $1 million and that grows until someone wins it. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Lotto 47 ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $1.5 million in the nightly Double Play drawing. For an additional $1 per game, players may add EZMatch to their ticket for a chance to win up to $500 instantly. Lotto 47 drawings take place on Wednesday and Saturday at 7:29 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at a retailer or online at MichiganLottery.com until 7:08 p.m. on the day of the drawing.