Presque Isle County Woman Wins $530,869 Lucky 7s Fast Cash Jackpot

Posted on October 8, 2026 by MI-Lottery
Shawn Penfold (right), and her husband, Hugh, holding $530,869 big check.

Shawn Penfold (right), and her husband, Hugh, holding $530,869 big check.

A Presque Isle County woman decided to go after the Fast Cash jackpot after seeing it was on the rise, and a few hours later she won a $530,869 Lucky 7s Fast Cash jackpot from the Michigan Lottery!

“I checked the Fast Cash jackpot online and saw it was over $500,000, so I went to the store a few hours later and bought two tickets,” said Shawn Penfold, of Onaway. “I looked at the second ticket first and my heart dropped when I saw the jackpot amount at the top was $10,000 because I thought someone else had just won.

Winning Ticket“I looked at the other ticket next and saw the jackpot amount at the top of that was still $530,869, so I quickly looked the rest of it over. When I saw I was the jackpot winner, I was in total shock! I scanned the ticket on the Michigan Lottery app and sent my husband a screenshot to share the big news. I’ve been on an emotional roller coaster since winning. It still feels surreal.”

Penfold, 46, bought her winning ticket at Rogers City E-Z Mart, located at 101 South Bradley Highway in Rogers City. She recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. With her winnings, she plans to pay her daughter’s college tuition, invest, and take a trip to Hawaii.

Fast Cash games are a series of instant-win games that print from terminals at Lottery retailers. Fast Cash tickets range in price from $2 per play up to $30 per play.

Fast Cash games offer a progressive jackpot that can be won instantly. Every Fast Cash ticket gives players a chance to win all or part of the progressive jackpot.

All of the Fast Cash games feed into one jackpot, which grows with every ticket purchased. The current jackpot amount prints on each ticket, so players always know the amount of the jackpot up for grabs. The jackpot may be won at any time. As soon as the jackpot is won, a new one starts to grow.

Available Fast Cash games are:

  • Wild Time Progressive – Each $2 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $2 up to $500 and 20 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Cosmic Cow – Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $4,000 and 50 percent of the Fast Cash jackpot.
  • Diamond Wild Time Progressive – Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $3,000 and 50 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Michigan Money – Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $4,500 and 50 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Detroit Lions Rush For Riches – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $5,500 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Double Win Wild Time – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $6,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Jackpot Slots – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $5,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Lucky 7s – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $4,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot.
  • Lucky Lines – Each $10 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $7,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash jackpot.
  • Treasure Trove Tripler – Each $20 ticket offers player a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to up to $12,000 and 100% of the Fast Cash jackpot plus $250,000.
  • Super Lucky 7s – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $9,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot, plus $250,000.
  • Jumbo Jackpot Slots – Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $10,000 and 100 percent of the Fast Cash progressive jackpot plus $250,000.
  • Jackpot Slots Millionaire – Each $30 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $30 up to $20,000 and 100% of the Fast Cash jackpot plus $1 million.

 Fast Cash prizes never sell out and there is no waiting for a drawing as all games are played immediately.

Fast Cash games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

In 2025, Michigan Lottery players won more than $54 million playing Fast Cash games.

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Macomb County Woman Wins $1 Million Playing Michigan Lottery’s 50X Instant Game

Posted on October 7, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Winning TicketMinutes after checking the Michigan Lottery website to see if there were any top prizes left on the 50X instant game, a Macomb County woman scratched off her ticket and found out she was holding one of the $1 million winning tickets!

“My husband and I were at the store and he asked if I wanted to get some lottery tickets while we were there, but I said no because there was a certain party store I wanted to get tickets at,” said the lucky 67-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “The next day, I went to that party store and bought a few 50X tickets.

“When I got home, I looked at the prizes remaining page on the Michigan Lottery website to see if there were any top prizes left on this game. I told my husband there were still two $1 million prizes left, and he said he doubted they were still out there.

“When I scratched the ticket and saw the $1 million win, I slid the ticket over to him and said: ‘I told you they were out there!’ We both just sat there in silence for a while because we were stunned. Once it sunk in, we called a few family members to tell them the good news!”

The player bought her winning ticket at Diamond Dot Market, located at 38500 Hayes Road in Clinton Township. She recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. She chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $693,000 rather than annuity payments for the full amount. With her winnings, she plans to pay off her grandkid’s student loans, buy a new truck, and take a vacation.

Players won more than $48 million playing 50X, which launched in February 2025. Each $10 ticket offered players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million.

In 2025, Lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

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Clinton County Educator Wins Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on October 6, 2026 by MI-Lottery
Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Joe Matulis with his Excellence in Education check.

Acting Lottery Commissioner, Joe Froehlich, presents Joe Matulis with his Excellence in Education check.

A Clinton County educator known for developing a student-driven outdoor ice rink project that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning across grade levels has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Joseph Matulis, is a physical education teacher at Riley and Eureka Elementary Schools. The schools are a part of the St. Johns Public School District.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 and WILX in Lansing, WLUC in Marquette, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Matulis will air this evening.

Matulis said that having an older brother expose him to all kinds of physical activities is what led him to a career in education.

“Growing up, I was lucky to have an older brother who exposed me to all kinds of activities. He went out of his way to teach me how to ski, swim and sail, along with traditional sports like basketball, baseball and football. At the time, he wasn’t a physical education teacher, he was simply my older brother taking the time to teach me and including me in the things he enjoyed.

“A student might learn to catch a ball, ride a bike, ice skate or try an outdoor activity for the first time and that skill itself is important, but what really drives me is the confidence that comes with it. I want students to learn that it’s okay not to be good at something the first time. You practice, keep trying and you improve. When a child realizes, ‘I couldn’t do this before, but now I can,’ that’s what keeps me excited about teaching.

“One of the biggest things I try to do is expose students to a wide variety of ways to be active. Not every child is going to connect with a traditional team sport, so I want students to experience enough different activities so that they have a chance to find something they enjoy. That means looking beyond the walls of the gym whenever we can. We’ve created an ice-skating rink at school, and we’ve taken students outdoors for experiences such as paddleboarding and fishing. I also like finding creative ways to use technology, games and challenges to make students excited about moving and learning.”

Matulis was nominated for the award by his region’s MiSTEM director.

“Joe Matulis is a Physical Education teacher but includes so much more in his lessons for elementary students, like math, science, and physics.

“At our school, we have developed a student-driven outdoor ice rink project that integrates STEM learning across grade levels. Students survey the site, analyze slope and drainage, estimate ice volume, monitor weather and temperature, and evaluate design improvements year to year. The project intentionally connects physical education, science, math, and engineering through hands-on, place-based learning.

“We have also already partnered with community and higher-education organizations to expand student learning and career exposure, including MSU Figure Skating, MSU Women’s Hockey, and Disney on Ice. These partnerships allow students to explore real-world applications of physics, biomechanics, engineering, design, and performance, making the project both diverse and well-rounded.”

Matulis earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and has been an educator for 18 years, all in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools, or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
  • Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
  • Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
  • Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
  • Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
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Wayne County Man Wins $2 Million Playing Michigan Lottery’s Big Money Pay Day Instant Game

Posted on October 5, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Winning TicketA Wayne County man is looking forward to becoming debt-free after winning $2 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Big Money Pay Day instant game!

“I bought a Big Money Pay Day ticket late one night and scratched it when I got in my car before heading home,” said the lucky 37-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “When I saw I’d won $2 million, I was in complete shock!

“I buy scratch-off tickets all the time and have won smaller prizes, but I honestly never thought I’d win a big prize like this, so I feel over the moon excited and blessed.”

The player bought his winning ticket at Safeway Market Inc., located at 8031 Dix Street in Detroit. He recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. He chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $1.3 million rather than annuity payments for the full amount.

“This big win will allow me to pay off all my debt and then I plan to save the rest of the money for whatever the future may have in store for me,” the player said.

Players have won more than $21 million playing Big Money Pay Day, which launched in July. Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $2 million. More than $79 million in prizes remain, including two $2 million top prizes, 12 $10,000 prizes, and 183 $2,000 prizes.

In 2025, Lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.

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Isabella County Man Wins $250,000 Powerball Prize from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on October 2, 2026 by MI-Lottery

Thomas Pyrett holding $250,000 big check“It’d never happen to me” is what an Isbella County man said when he heard someone in his town had won big playing Powerball, and then hours later he found out he was the winner of a $250,000 Powerball prize!

Thomas Pyrett, of Weidman, matched four white balls and the Powerball – 05-15-26-29-30, PB: 14 – in the Sept. 23 drawing to win a $50,000 prize. Thanks to the Power Play, the prize was multiplied to $250,000. He bought his winning ticket at Weidman EZ Mart, located at 3011 North Woodruff Road in Weidman. Weidman is about 15 miles northwest of Mount Pleasant.

“I went to the store to purchase one Powerball ticket, and the clerk accidentally printed two, so I told her I’d take both,” said Pyrett, 67. “The next day, a family member told me someone in our town had won a big Powerball prize, and I said: ‘Good for them! It’d never happen to me.’

Winning Ticket“Later that day, I went to the store to check my ticket. When the clerk scanned it, he pulled me aside and showed me a message that said I had to visit the Lottery office to cash my ticket. I took the ticket over to my friend’s house and told him the message that came up when it was scanned, so he looked up the winnings numbers and told me I’d won $250,000. All I can say is winning is a really good feeling!”

Pyrett recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to pay off his house and then save the remainder.

Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Powerball ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $10 million in the nightly Double Play drawing.

The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerball.com. Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

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