LANSING, August 20, 1999 — Charlene Sleight of Holt could hardly believe her eyes when she saw that she had matched the first five numbers in the August 17 Big Game drawing to win the $150,000 prize! That day’s winning numbers were: 11, 12, 28, 29, 45 and the Big Money Ball number was 35.

"I saw the winning numbers in the Lansing State Journal," Sleight said. "I had to read them over three or four times to really believe it. I was stunned when I realized what I had won! I said to my husband, ‘This has to be a joke.’ Things like this just don’t happen to us!"

The 46-year-old winner said she has been playing Michigan Lottery games for the past 27 years, and her favorites are The Big Game and Michigan Lotto.

Sleight purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Derosa Grocery, 1959 Cedar St., in Holt. She said she plans to use her winnings to pay bills, put some in savings and share the rest with her family.

The lucky lady believes anyone can win Lottery games, and she offered the following words of wisdom to other Lottery hopefuls: "Just keep playing. Be patient — someday it will happen!"

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 (Friday), August 20, with an expected jackpot of $20 million.

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