Two Michigan Lottery players recently got the surprise of a lifetime after discovering their scratch-off tickets were worth far more than they initially thought. One man uncovered a $500,000 prize, while a woman was shocked to learn she had won an incredible $2 million.
Both winners purchased scratch-off tickets and initially underestimated their prizes.
Macomb County Man Discovers $500,000 Christmas Surprise
A 68-year-old Macomb County man nearly overlooked a $500,000 winning ticket he received as a Christmas gift from his family.
Every year, he and his wife purchase lottery tickets for their relatives during the holiday season. At their family Christmas gathering last year, their son handed out the tickets, allowing everyone to choose one and scratch it.
The man initially believed he had won just $500. However, a family member scanned his ticket using the Michigan Lottery app and discovered something much bigger.
The ticket was actually worth $500,000!
The winner couldn't believe his luck when he learned that the prize had several extra zeros. Surprisingly, he held onto the winning ticket for nearly a year before finally claiming his money.
The winning ticket was purchased at M & H Petro in Clinton Township, approximately 20 miles northeast of Detroit.
He recently visited Michigan Lottery headquarters to collect his prize. According to lottery officials, he plans to save the money and use it as a financial safety net.
The winning ticket came from the $10 25 Days of Winning scratch-off game, which launched in November 2025. Players have already won more than $18 million in prizes through the game, with rewards ranging from $10 to $500,000.
Ingham County Woman Finds Out Her Ticket Is Worth $2 Million
Another Michigan player experienced an even bigger surprise after discovering that her scratch-off ticket was worth $2 million instead of the $5,000 she initially expected.
The 61-year-old Ingham County woman was playing the $30 Two Million Dollar Cashword game when she noticed several matching words on the third puzzle.
After finishing the ticket, she checked the prize chart and assumed she had won $5,000. But when she scanned it through the Michigan Lottery app, the actual prize left her speechless.
She had won the game's $2 million top prize!
The woman said the reality of her win didn't fully sink in until she arrived at lottery headquarters to claim the money. She became emotional and started shaking as the moment finally felt real.
Her winning ticket was purchased at USA 2 Go Quick Store, located at 4495 Holt Road in Holt, about seven miles south of Lansing.
Instead of receiving the full prize through annuity payments, she chose a one-time lump-sum payment of approximately $1.3 million.
She plans to use her winnings to:
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Purchase a new home.
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Buy a vacation property in Florida.
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Share some of her good fortune with family members.
Millions in Cashword Prizes Still Available
The Michigan Lottery's Two Million Dollar Cashword game has already awarded more than $54 million in prizes since launching in January 2026.
However, plenty of prizes are still available. Lottery officials report that more than $38 million in prizes remain, including:
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One $2 million top prize.
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Eight prizes worth $10,000 each.
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62 prizes worth $5,000 each.
These two stories show how a quick ticket scan can sometimes reveal a life-changing surprise!
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