LANSING, October 2, 1998 – Lottery players from Highland Park and Livonia are now each a little richer, having recently claimed top Michigan Lottery prizes!

Felicia Hicks of Highland Park matched the first five numbers in the September 22 Big Game drawing to win 150,000! That day’s winning numbers were: 1, 37, 43, 44, 45 and the Big Money Ball number was 24.

"It was really strange," she said.  "I usually check my tickets right away.  This time I waited until the next day and I called the Lottery Link hotline (800-822-8888).  I told my mom I had four numbers, and she listened to it and said ‘No, you have five!’  She went and got a Big Game prize card and that was when I found out the ticket was worth $150,000!

"You just never know," said Hicks.  "I never expected it!"

The 30-year-old Highland Park woman said she has no immediate plans for her winnings.  The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Arbor Drugs Inc. #8002, 1192 W. Maple, in Walled Lake.

A 57-year-old Livonia man won $100,000 when he matched all five numbers – 5, 8, 9, 19 and 27 – in the Cash 5 drawing on July 24.  The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, said he would have claimed his prize sooner, but he had temporarily misplaced the winning ticket.

"My wife looked at the newspaper first thing in the morning the day after the numbers had been drawn and saw that I had all of the winning numbers," he said.  "She immediately ran in to wake me up and tell me that I had won.  I was so excited!  Neither one of us could believe that I had really won."

The retired salesman said he has been a regular Lottery player since 1972, and he has played the same set of Cash 5 numbers since it began in 1992.  He chose those particular numbers because they are his children’s birthdays.  The man said he plans to use part of his winnings to take a vacation with his wife and set the rest aside to pay for his grandchildren’s education.  He purchased the winning Cash 5 ticket at Mid 5 Party Store, 15254 Middlebelt Road, in Livonia.

For other Lottery hopefuls, the Livonia man offered the following advice: "You can’t win if you don’t play!"

Big Game drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday, and Cash 5 drawings are held each weeknight.  The next Big Game drawing will be conducted tonight; the expected jackpot is $27 million.  Big Game and Cash 5 tickets are available at more than 6,400 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide.

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