LANSING, Mich. – A Grand Rapids woman realized she’d won a $5 million Lotto 47 jackpot prize by scrolling through Facebook the night after the drawing.
The lucky player, who chose to remain anonymous, matched all six Lotto 47 numbers drawn Nov. 20: 17-18-24-26-35-40. She bought the winning ticket at the D & W Fresh Market located at 6425 28th Street Southeast in Grand Rapids.
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“I usually only buy Lotto 47 tickets when the jackpot gets over $10 million,” said the player. “When I was at the store, I saw the jackpot was only at $5 million, but I decided to get a ticket anyway.
“The night after the drawing, I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a news station had posted that someone in Kent County won the big jackpot,” the player said. “I started reading the article and realized it was won at the same store where I’d purchased my ticket. I quickly pulled my ticket out to check my numbers and realized I was the big winner! I instantly felt numb.”
The player visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim the big prize. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of about $3.2 million, rather than 30 annuity payments for the full amount. With her winnings she plans to pay off debt, take a few trips, and then save the remainder
“Winning a prize like this feels incredible,” 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.