$150,000 Big Game Ticket Sold in Madison Heights Expires in Days!

LANSING, July 22, 1998 – Five residents of Oakland County know firsthand what it’s like to experience Lottery luck – each has recently won a top Michigan Lottery prize ranging from $100,000 up to $2 million!  The winners include:

• An anonymous Clarkston woman won a $2 million Michigan Lotto prize;
• Iva Kaminsky of Southfield and Eugene Hornak of Oak Park each won $150,000 prizes in The Big Game; and
• Anonymous residents of Auburn Hills and Pontiac each won $100,000 in the Cash 5 game.

A self-employed Clarkston woman matched all six numbers in the May 20 Michigan Lotto drawing – 4, 32, 37, 40, 46 and 49 – to win a $2 million jackpot.  The winner selected the annuity payment and received her first installment of $80,000 (before taxes), to be followed by 24 annual installments.

"I asked the retailer to check my ticket and he did.  When I saw it was a winner, I got my ticket back, went to the car and called my son.  I just couldn’t believe it!" she said.  "We’ll carry on with our normal life, but with a lot less stress."

The winner, who requested anonymity, said she picked numbers that had special meaning.  She had no immediate plans for her winnings other than to assist her son with student loan payments.

The winning Michigan Lotto ticket was purchased at Heather Lake Market, 4758 Clarkston Road, in Clarkston.

Iva Kaminsky of Southfield screamed when she watched the April 21 Big Game drawing!

Kaminsky matched the first five of that day’s winning numbers – 8, 18, 19, 36, 44, and the Big Money Ball number was 1 – to win the $150,000 prize.

"I saw the numbers on the TV drawing and screamed for my sister," said Kaminsky.   "She thought maybe her toast was burning!  After we called to confirm the winning numbers, I just felt numb."

A regular Michigan Lottery player since 1972, Kaminsky said she would use her winnings to donate to the Independence for Life senior transportation service, share with her friends, pay bills, and invest in her business.

The winning Big Game ticket was purchased at Palace Party Shoppe, 15660 W. 11 Mile Road, in Southfield.

Eugene Hornak of Oak Park also collected a $150,000 prize, this time from the May 1 Big Game drawing.  That day’s winning numbers were: 2, 17, 29, 35, 46, and the Big Money Ball number was 16.

"I wrote the numbers down from the paper and checked my ticket; I just couldn’t believe it," said Hornak.  "This is truly a blessing."

Hornak, 58, is a material control computer operator at Ford Motor Company.  He said his Big Game win will allow him to plan an early retirement, during which he hopes to travel.

The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Southland Corp. #13458 (7-Eleven), 26641 Coolidge Highway, in Oak Park.

A teacher from Auburn Hills learned how easy it is to win the $100,000 prize in the Cash 5 game after she matched all five numbers – 1, 7, 21, 27 and 39 – in the June 11 drawing.

"I read the drawing results in the paper and was just speechless," said the winner, who requested anonymity.  "I immediately called my dad to tell him."

An occasional Michigan Lottery player for two years, the winner said she plans to simply save her winnings.

The winning Cash 5 "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Harry’s Market, 2485 N. Opdyke Road, in Auburn Hills.

Another Cash 5 winner from Pontiac correctly matched all five numbers in the June 26 drawing – 12, 15, 18, 31 and 34 – to win the $100,000 prize.

"I was at work when I saw my numbers matched the winning ones," he said, "but I stayed at work and told my wife about it when I got home."

The winner, who requested anonymity, is a General Motors employee and has been a regular Michigan Lottery player for 20 years.  His plans for the winnings include paying bills, making investments and sharing it with his family.

The winning Cash 5 ticket was purchased at J & J Foodcenters #118, 1925 N. Perry St., in Pontiac.

Just a reminder that another winning Michigan Lottery ticket sold in Oakland County will fall on the "unclaimed prizes" pile if the ticket holder doesn’t contact the Lottery soon!

The ticket in question – a Big Game ticket worth $150,000 – matched the first five numbers in the July 25, 1997 drawing. That day’s winning numbers were: 4, 7, 33, 42, 44, and the Big Money Ball number was 25.

The unclaimed prize-winning Big Game ticket was sold at Total Petroleum #2521, 32845 Dequindre Road, in Madison Heights.

Winners have one year from the draw date to claim Michigan Lottery prizes.  Because the one-year anniversary of this Big Game drawing falls on a Saturday, the holder of the ticket will have until the close of business Monday, July 27, 1998, to claim the prize.

Since the Lottery’s inception in 1972, the amount of unclaimed prizes that has gone to the state School Aid Fund totals more than $230 million.

Players who are interested in more information about this and other unclaimed prizes may call the Michigan Lottery at (517) 335-5640.

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