KENTWOOD, Mich. – A two-person club was originally “bummed” when they found out someone had won $1 million through the lottery, but then they realized it was them.
The two-member Blue Bridge lottery club from Kalamazoo bought a Mega Millions ticket at the Y&K Party Store on South Division Avenue in Kentwood.
They matched the five white balls from the Sept. 3, 2024, drawing to win a $1 million prize.
“I had a lucky feeling, so I stopped into the party store to buy a Mega Millions ticket,” one member said. “When I went back to the store a few days later, I saw a new banner hanging up that said they sold a $1 million Mega Millions prize and was bummed it wasn’t me."
But a few days later, that disappointment vanished.
“A few days after that, I scanned some lottery tickets I had in my wallet and got a message to file a claim on one of them,” the member said. “I took out my phone and scanned the Mega Millions ticket on my lottery app, and when the amount of $1 million came up with confetti, I thought, ‘This cannot be real.’ I scanned it a few more times to make sure I was seeing it right."
The duo visited Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim their prize.
“Winning still hasn’t sunk in for our club," club representative Austin Beaudet said. “It feels like a dream for the club members.”
“I always see the big Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots on billboards and say to myself, ‘I would be happy with just $1 million,’“ one member said. ”It feels surreal that it actually happened."
They said they plan to invest their winnings.
“Congratulations to the members of the Blue Bridge lottery club on a huge $1 million Mega Millions win,” Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli said. “The Blue Bridge club is one of six lucky winners of at least $1 million on the Mega Millions game in 2024.”
