LANSING, January 13, 1999 – Martin Mendelson of Farmington Hills recently won big bucks with the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game!  Mendelson matched the first five numbers in the January 8 Big Game drawing to win the $150,000 prize.  That day’s winning numbers were: 5, 21, 23, 26, 37 and the Big Money Ball number was 3.

"I was reading the Detroit Free Press on Saturday morning when I saw that I had matched the first five Big Game numbers," he said.  "I had my wife double-check the numbers for me and then we called the Lottery’s toll-free number (800-822-8888) to check them one more time!  We thought for sure it was a mistake.  We still can’t believe that we really won!  It is hard to conceive winning that much money! "

The 61-year-old winner purchased the winning Big Game ticket at Arbor Drugs Inc. #8044, 29555 Orchard Lake Road, in Farmington.  Mendelson said he plays the same numbers for every drawing.  They have special significance to him as they represent his birthday and the birthdays of his three children.

Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, Mendelson kept it in a special envelope where he keeps all of his Lottery information and tickets.  He said he carried the envelope with him at all times just in case there was a fire in his house.

The retired Ford Motor Company engineer said he plans to share his winnings with his family, take his children and wife on a trip and invest the rest.

The hospice volunteer, who enjoys golfing, bowling and playing the stock market in his free time, offered the following words of wisdom to other hopeful Lottery players: "It really can happen to anyone!"

The Big Game is a six-state lottery game which held its first drawing in September 1996.  Lotteries in Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and Virginia contribute to the joint prize pool.  Big Game drawings are conducted every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.

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