LANSING, February 8, 1999 – Thomas Lawless of Mendon recently hit the big time with the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game!  Lawless matched the first five numbers in the January 29 drawing to win the $150,000 prize.  That day’s winning numbers were: 4, 9, 12, 32, 47 and the Big Money Ball number was 27.

"I saw the winning numbers in the Kalamazoo Gazette and checked my ticket right away," Lawless said.  "I didn’t know exactly how much I had won at first.  My wife said I was in shock!"

The retired man from Mendon said he has been playing Michigan Lottery games for the past couple of years and his favorites are The Big Game and Michigan Lotto.  Lawless purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Fisher Lake Grocery & Deli, 20146 M-60, in Three Rivers.

Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing, Lawless kept it in his pocket at all times.  The 60-year-old man said he plans to share his winnings with his family, make investments and spend a little of it too!

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.  The next Big Game drawing will be conducted Tuesday, February 9 – the expected jackpot is $7 million.

# # #