LANSING, October 21, 1999 — Robert Keilman of Perry is celebrating in a big way after winning a top prize in the Michigan Lottery’s Big Game! He matched the first five numbers in the October 15 Big Game drawing to win the $150,000 prize. That day’s winning numbers were: 15, 19, 29, 40, 41 and the Big Money Ball number was 7.

"We were out of town when the drawing happened," Keilman said. "My wife looked up the winning numbers in the Detroit News on Monday. When she checked our ticket she turned to me and said ‘you won’t believe this — I think we matched five numbers!’ She handed the ticket to me, and sure enough, we really did match five numbers. We were both elated!"

When not traveling with his wife, the winner said both he and his wife enjoy playing Michigan Lottery games. He added that they have both been playing Lottery games for the past 27 years, and they truly enjoy the wide variety of games offered. Keilman purchased the winning Big Game ticket at 7-Eleven 147H, 3013 Lansing Road, in Perry.

The lucky man said he plans to donate part of his winnings to charity, but he is still thinking about what to do with the rest of it. He offered the following words of wisdom to other Lottery hopefuls: "If you don’t play, you don’t win!"

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 Friday, October 22, with an expected jackpot of $30 million.

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