LANSING, August 21, 1997 – It doesn’t take much to make Bill Miller happy, but the Williamston resident was thrilled when he learned he won a top Michigan Lottery prize!

Miller matched the first five numbers in The Big Game drawing on August 15, 1997, and won $150,000!

"I didn’t check my ticket until Monday, and I couldn’t believe it," said Miller.

"At first I thought I matched only three numbers, and I was happy about that," he said.  "Then I looked closer and saw I matched four numbers, then five numbers.  I didn’t know how much my ticket was worth, but I guy at work told me I just won ‘big bucks!’"

Miller, 60, has been a regular Michigan Lottery player for 25 years.  He said he and his wife would use their Big Game winnings to make investments.

Miller’s "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Dandy Randy Food Store, 805 N. Cedar St., in Mason.

The winning numbers in the August 15, 1997 Big Game drawing were: 17, 21, 27, 42, 47 and the Big Money Ball number was 21.  The Big Game offers nine ways to win cash prizes.  Players pay $1 for each play, and choose five numbers from 1 to 50, as well as one additional number from 1 to 25.

Friday’s (August 22) Big Game jackpot is estimated at $11 million.

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