FIFE LAKE, Mich. – Picture winning a lottery worth thousands of dollars and then nearly losing the winning ticket in a moment of excitement.
That’s exactly what happened to a man from Kent County, Michigan, when his $328,439 Fantasy 5 jackpot-winning ticket almost escaped through his car window just after discovering his victory.
According to Michigan Lottery authorities, the fortunate player visited their headquarters to claim the substantial prize, intending to save his winnings.
The 49-year-old winner, who chose to remain anonymous, matched all the numbers (12-15-20-24-39) in the April 8 drawing. He purchased the winning ticket at the Beacon and Bridge Market in Fife Lake, approximately 15 miles southwest of Kalkaska.
“My wife and I were on a trip up north and stopped at the store for refreshments,” the man informed lottery officials. “We noticed the Fantasy 5 jackpot was over $300,000, so we decided to buy a ticket.”
On their way home the following day, the man’s wife checked the ticket and screamed in shock upon realizing they had won the jackpot.
“I began to sweat when she told me the winning amount, so I rolled down the window, and the ticket nearly flew out,” the man recalled. “Luckily, my wife managed to catch it and securely store it.”
The winner shared with lottery officials that the experience of winning such a large sum still feels unreal.
“We haven’t decided how to use the money yet,” he said. “Our hope is to save most of it to retire earlier than we initially planned.”
