A lucky change of plans
Sometimes the smallest choice can completely change the whole world. That’s precisely what happened to a 74-year-old man from Blanchard, Michigan, who recently came into a $500,000 windfall from a spontaneous thought by his wife.
The man had planned to buy a Powerball ticket at the GCK Oil Inc. on Main Street. But his wife encouraged him to try one of the new Detroit Lions-themed scratch-off tickets from the Michigan Lottery as well. He took her advice—and that action led to a staggering win.
Read this later: Los Angeles is offering $5,000 to small businesses affected by ICE raids – Here’s how you can apply for Care First Community Investment assistance
The big reveal
The lucky winner revealed that he did not scratch the ticket right away. He waited until morning instead. It was when he had finally scratched it that he found the half-million-dollar amount and couldn’t believe it himself.
“When I saw the $500,000 prize money, I said to my wife, ‘I guess we’re off to Lansing,'” he said in an interview with Click On Detroit. “When I read her the figure of what we won, she was going to pass out.”
The anonymous couple stated they are still shocked about the win. The husband assured that the reality of it has yet to sink in.
Read this later: Homebuyers squeezed as mortgage rates climb for second week in a row
Planes on the money
Winning that sort of money can change lives, and the couple already has a few ideas on where it will be spent. A bit of money will be invested in their grandchildren, some will be donated to a charity they care about, and the rest will be put into savings for the future.
The shock hasn’t fully set in yet, so we’re not thinking clearly,” the man admitted. “But what we do know is that this prize will transform our lives.”
Detroit Lions scratch-off game
The scratch-off ticket that has brought so much joy to this family is fairly new. The Michigan Lottery launched the Detroit Lions scratch-off game in August.
These are a few key facts about the game:
- Tickets are $5 per ticket.
- Awards range from $5 to $500,000.
- More than $7 million has already been paid out since the launch.
- There are about $21 million in awards still to be won, with two large awards of $500,000.
The game features two play areas. The LIONS BONUS zone enables the player to win instantly when he or she matches the football symbol. At the Main Play Area, players look for such symbols as “RB,” “WR,” “FG,” or “QB,” which have different awards or multipliers.
How to check winning tickets
The Michigan Lottery has made it easy for players to determine if they’ve won. Tickets can be checked using the official lottery app or at any authorized ticketing machine. This ease has popularized scratch-offs as one of the most popular lotteries in the state.
Not the first big win
Intriguingly, this is not the first time a Detroit Lions scratch-off ticket has been in the news for a win of $500,000. Earlier this year, another winner also claimed half a million dollars after selecting the same type of ticket.
Those kinds of stories perpetuate the notion that scratch-offs can bring big surprises when least anticipated. Luck for some. Fate or even superstition for others.
Read this later; Microsoft updates Xbox Game Pass: top tier rises to over $350 a year
A reminder of life’s surprises
For the Blanchard family, what started as an ordinary outing to the market turned into a day they would never forget. A little word of advice from a wife, a varying choice from the counter, and a dash of luck proved to forever change their financial fortunes.
This story is a reminder that good fortune can take its most ordinary forms. If you’re a believer in luck, fate, or just happenstance occurring, then this is something we can all agree on: to this Michigan couple, a $5 ticket was a $500,000 dream come true.
Read this later: Shares of Netflix down again as Musk pushes drive to ‘cancel’ the streaming platform
