Man wins huge prize playing Michigan lottery – then he checks the fine print

A Michigan man had to double-check he wasn’t being pranked after he scratched off a lottery ticket worth millions, he told lottery officials.

The Kent County man, who chose to remain anonymous, recently purchased the ticket at a Citgo gas station in Grand Rapids, officials with Michigan Lottery said in a Sept. 20 news release.

In a twist of fate, the store didn’t have any more of the tickets he wanted, so he settled for a different option — and it changed his life, he told officials.

“When I scratched the ticket and saw I’d won $4 million, the first thing I did was call my brother. He told me to make sure it wasn’t one of those prank lottery tickets, so I flipped it over and read through the fine print on the back,” the 54-year-old said. It appeared legitimate, but he called the lottery office to make absolutely sure.

The ticket was real and worth $4 million — the top prize in the Millionaire’s Club game, according to officials.

“Winning still feels unreal, but I think it’s really going to sink in once I cash my check,” he said, adding that he plans to use his money to pay bills and travel.

The man opted to collect a $2.7 million lump sum instead of annuity payments for the full amount, officials said.

This story was originally published September 20, 2023 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Man wins huge prize playing Michigan lottery – then he checks the fine print."