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‘It’s a miracle!’ $1 lottery ticket turns into life-changing win for Michigan player

A Michigan man’s ‘miracle’ appeared on his phone when he checked his $1 ticket after a Dec. 4 lottery drawing.
A Michigan man’s ‘miracle’ appeared on his phone when he checked his $1 ticket after a Dec. 4 lottery drawing. Photo by Michigan lottery

Confetti flooded a lottery player’s screen after he checked to see if his $1 purchase was a winner.

Behind the celebratory colors, an amount of $1.05 million showed on the 57-year-old winner’s screen, the Michigan Lottery said in a Jan. 15 news release.

“It’s a miracle! An early Christmas miracle!” the winner from Wayne County said about the Dec. 4 drawing.

He matched the winning numbers 02-10-13-24-29-46 on his $1 Lotto 47 ticket purchased at a drugstore in Westland, lottery officials said.

Now, the man foresees a “clearer” financial future, he told officials.

He took home his winnings in a lump sum of $728,000 rather than accepting annuity payments.

The winner plans to use some of the money to help his family and save for retirement.

Westland is about a 30-mile drive west from Detroit.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published January 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM with the headline "‘It’s a miracle!’ $1 lottery ticket turns into life-changing win for Michigan player."

Kate Linderman
mcclatchy-newsroom
Kate Linderman covers national news for McClatchy’s real-time team. She reports on politics and crime and courts news in the Midwest. Kate is a 2023 graduate of DePaul University and is based in Chicago.
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