LANSING, March 2, 2000 — Gary Dunning of Ann Arbor was shocked to discover he possessed a top prize-winning Michigan Lottery Big Game ticket! He could hardly believe his eyes when he saw he had matched the first five numbers in the February 15 Big Game drawing to win the $150,000 prize. That day’s winning numbers were: 02-06-07-13-26 and the Big Money Ball number was 25.

"I was at work in the cafeteria when I checked my numbers in the Detroit Free Press," Dunning said. "I thought I had only matched four numbers at first, then I saw I actually had five. I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw the fifth number! I called my wife right away to give her the good news."

The 44-year-old winner said he is a regular Big Game player. Dunning purchased the winning Big Game "easy pick" ticket at Superior Food Mart, 5890 Plymouth Road, in Ann Arbor.

Prior to turning the winning ticket in at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, Dunning kept it in a safe deposit box. The Ann Arbor man said he plans to invest his winnings for his retirement.

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, March 3, with an expected jackpot of $18 million.

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