LANSING, April 9, 1999 – Sheryle Weller of Muskegon recently hit the big time with the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game! Weller matched the first five numbers in the April 6 drawing to win the $150,000 prize.  That day’s winning numbers were: 12, 17, 22, 33, 44 and the Big Money Ball number was 25.

"My son saw the winning numbers at the end of the Chicago Cubs game he was watching and he called to let me know what they were," Weller said.  "I checked my tickets about a half-hour after he called.  I couldn’t believe my eyes! I was completely numb when I realized I had won $150,000!"

The antiques collector said she has been playing Michigan Lottery games for the past 26 years, and she especially enjoys The Big Game, Michigan Lotto, the Daily 3 and instant games.

Weller purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Wesco #26, 2277 E. Broadway Ave., in Muskegon.  Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, she kept it in a safe.

The Muskegon woman has no special plans for her winnings yet.  She said the fact that she is a winner "hasn’t sunk in yet!"

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 tonight, April 9 – the expected jackpot is $5 million.

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