LANSING, June 8, 1999 – The four members of a Toledo, Ohio lottery club are still in shock after winning a top Michigan Lottery prize!
The "Charter Four Club" matched the first five numbers drawn in the May 21 Big Game drawing, collecting the game’s $150,000 prize. That day’s winning numbers were: 1, 15, 26, 37, 41 and the Big Money Ball number was 13.
Club members, who work together in Toledo, include:
- Scott Erdman, Sr. of Toledo, Ohio
- Lyle Hooper of Sylvania, Ohio
- Beverly King of Walbridge, Ohio
- David Rysz of Rossford, Ohio
The club members range from 40 to 68 years of age and are a mixture of married and single individuals.
"I found out that we had won from an e-mail that one of the club members sent to me," King said. "I didn’t believe it, so I looked the winning numbers up in the Toledo Blade and there they were! We were all very excited but in total disbelief!"
The winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket was purchased at Cox Beer Store, 6201 Lewis Ave., in Temperance.
Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, Erdman – the club’s representative – placed it in a safe deposit box.
The club members, who have been playing together for approximately two years, don’t have any immediate plans for their winnings. They said they are "still thinking about it."
The group also offered the following words of wisdom to other Lottery hopefuls: "You can’t win if you don’t play – don’t give up!"
The Big Game is a multistate lottery game in Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Wagers cost $1 each and tickets may be purchased at more than 6,400 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide.
Big Game drawings are conducted every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. The next Big Game drawing is tonight, June 8 with an expected jackpot of $14 million.
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