LANSING, May 15, 1998 – Five lucky Michigan Lottery players from metro Detroit have recently won prizes ranging from $100,000 to $150,000! The winners include:
- Wendell Harris of Highland Park, Raad Touma of Detroit, and Nathaniel Douglas of Detroit, all won $150,000 in The Big Game;
- two anonymous Detroit residents won the $100,000 Cash 5 top prize.
Highland Park resident Wendell Harris collected the $150,000 prize in The Big Game, by matching the first five numbers in the March 10 drawing. That day’s winning numbers were: 7, 19, 24, 28, 32, and the Big Money Ball number was 21.
"I was doing some paperwork and called the Lottery Link hotline to check the winning numbers," said Harris. "I said, ‘Wait a minute, that sounded like I got more than three or four numbers!’ I thought eventually my day would come, and I still believe I’m going to win the big jackpot someday!"
Harris, 44, is a psychotherapist in a Dearborn Heights private practice. He said he was already in the process of purchasing a house, and his Big Game winnings will speed the process.
The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Pasadena Liquor, 13821 Woodward Ave., in Highland Park.
Ten years of playing Michigan Lottery games has really paid off for Raad Touma of Detroit. He also won The Big Game’s $150,000 prize by matching the first five numbers in the April 21 drawing: 8, 18, 19, 36, 44, and the Big Money Ball number was 1.
The 29-year-old was still in disbelief when he came to Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize.
"I checked the winning numbers the morning after the drawing, and I said, ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe it!" said Touma. "I called my wife and I was screaming!"
Touma said he will use his Big Game winnings to buy a house, pay bills, take a nice vacation and go out more often with his wife.
The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Southwestern Liquor, 7073 W. Fort Street, in Detroit.
Nathaniel Douglas of Detroit also cashed in on The Big Game by matching all five numbers in the April 7 drawing to win $150,000. That day’s winning numbers were: 27, 32, 46, 47, 49, and the Big Money Ball was 7.
"I stopped by the store to pick up a winning number report," said Douglas. "Later I was at home and checked my ticket. I screamed! Then I showed it to a couple people to make sure I was seeing things properly!"
Douglas, a 56-year-old General Motors employee, has been a regular Michigan Lottery player for 25 years. He plans to invest part of his winnings and share the rest with family. "I’m just enjoying this," he said. "It was a surprise and a great pleasure."
The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Big D Deli, 19346 W. McNichols Road, in Detroit.
A 46-year-old registered nurse from Detroit selected her own lucky numbers for the March 23 Cash 5 drawing and won the $100,000 top prize! That day’s winning numbers were: 7, 12, 19, 20 and 29.
"I usually call my mom to find out the drawing results," said the winner, who requested anonymity. "When I checked my ticket, I first saw one, then two, three, four, then all five numbers! I had to call my mom back to verify the numbers. I still can’t believe it!"
A regular Michigan Lottery player for more than 15 years, the winner said she and her husband plan to use the Cash 5 winnings to pay bills and make investments.
The winning Cash 5 ticket was purchased at Kwicky Party Store, 25825 W. 7 Mile Road, in Redford.
A Detroit man did a double-take after matching all five numbers in the March 3 Cash 5 drawing! It was true and he won the game’s top prize of $100,000! That day’s winning Cash 5 numbers were: 4, 9, 12, 23 and 32.
"I saw the winning numbers in the newspaper, and I had to read it at least twice to make sure!" said the winner.
The winner, who requested anonymity, said he will use his prize money to make house repairs, pay bills and buy a car.
The winning Cash 5 ticket was purchased at Semma Liquor Shop, 19345 W. Warren Ave., in Detroit.
Big Game and Cash 5 tickets are available at more than 6,400 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide. Big Game drawings are conducted every Tuesday and Friday; Cash 5 drawings are conducted Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
# # #
