LANSING, March 11, 1999 – George Catto of Wixom is $150,000 richer after winning a top prize in the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game!  Catto matched the first five numbers in the February 26 drawing to win the $150,000 prize.  That day’s winning numbers were: 6, 26, 31, 44, 48 and the Big Money Ball number was 1.

"I went back to the store where I bought my ticket to buy a bottle of pop and saw a sign on the door telling customers to check their Big Game tickets because a winner had been sold there," Catto said.  "I had a feeling when I saw the sign that I was the one with the winning ticket!  I pulled the ticket out of my wallet right away and checked it while I was at the store.  I was surprised to find out I had actually won!"

The golf course operator said he only occasionally plays Michigan Lottery games – specifically The Big Game, Michigan Lotto and instant tickets.

Catto, 60, purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Bill’s Benstein Market, 1050 Benstein Road, in Walled Lake.  Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, the winner kept it in a Kleenex™ box!

The Wixom man said he plans to save his winnings to pay for his childrens’ college education.  The lucky winner offered the following words of wisdom for other Lottery hopefuls: "It’s all just luck – anybody can win!  Just remember to check your tickets!"

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.