LANSING, March 4, 1999 – David Yahner of Warren recently won big money with the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game! Yahner matched the first five numbers in the February 23 drawing to win the $150,000 prize.  That day’s winning numbers were: 3, 13, 27, 30, 44 and the Big Money Ball number was 27.

"I stopped at a party store on my way home from work to pick up a winning number report so I could check my ticket," Yahner said.  "I looked at the numbers when I got back in the car and realized right away that I had a winner!  I was immediately ‘weak-kneed’ from the excitement!  I couldn’t believe I had actually won!"

The General Motors Powertrain employee said he has been playing Michigan Lottery games for the past 26 years, and he especially enjoys The Big Game and instant tickets.

Yahner, 56, purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Warren Liquor Shoppe, 29184 Hoover Road, in Warren.  Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing, the winner kept it in a safe at his son-in-law’s house.

The Warren man said he plans to use his winnings to take a trip to Las Vegas and he will save the rest for his retirement. The lucky winner offered the following advice for other Lottery hopefuls: "You can’t win if you don’t play!"

The Big Game is a six-state lottery game which held it’s 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 Friday, March 5 – the expected jackpot is $28 million.

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