LANSING, December 22, 1998 – A Battle Creek man recently received the Christmas gift of a lifetime when he became a millionaire after winning the jackpot in a Michigan Lotto drawing!

The 47-year-old man matched all six numbers in the December 19 Michigan Lotto drawing to win the $15.5 million prize. That day’s winning numbers were: 6, 10, 15, 16, 46 and 47.

"I saw the winning numbers in the Battle Creek Enquirer on Sunday morning," he said.  "I had to look at them several times before I could believe it was real!  I was shocked to see that I had won!"

The Battle Creek resident, who requested anonymity, said he plays the Michigan Lotto "only when the jackpot gets high."  He purchased the winning ticket at Meijer Inc. #16, 2177 Columbia Ave. W, in Battle Creek.

The lucky winner chose the lump-sum cash option payment for his winnings.  He came to the Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing to collect his one-time prize payment of $15,588,634, the present cash value of that day’s announced $30 million jackpot, before taxes.

The new millionaire said he and his wife plan to use part of the winnings to buy a new home and two new cars, and they will invest the rest.  For other Lottery hopefuls, he offered the following advice: "Don’t give up!"

The last time the Michigan Lotto jackpot grew to the $30 million level was in March 1997.  One ticket matched the winning numbers drawn on March 15, 1997, but the jackpot went unclaimed.  That ticket was sold at Meijer Inc. #52, 1350 W. Lake Lansing Rd., in East Lansing.  The unclaimed prize reverted to Michigan’s state School Aid Fund on March 16, 1998 – one year after the drawing date.

Michigan Lotto drawings are conducted every Wednesday and Saturday.  The expected jackpot for Wednesday’s (December 23) drawing is $2 million.

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