LANSING, November 16, 2006 – Loretta Brown and her family are looking forward to a comfortable life as they enjoy the winnings of the Michigan Lottery’s Mega Millions game.

Brown, of Detroit, was the winner of Tuesday night’s $75 million jackpot.  She and her family traveled to Lansing today to pick up the lump sum payout of $44.6 million, less taxes.  The winning easy pick ticket was purchased at the Shell Gas Station on Haggerty Road in Canton.  The Shell station will receive a $50,000 commission for selling the ticket.

“This is unbelievable.  I’m still in shock.  It’s just unbelievable,” Brown said.  “We’re going to live comfortably, stress-free, for once in our lives.  Unbelievable!” Brown’s winning numbers were 9, 20, 24, 25, 36; Mega ball: 23. 

Having won the money just a few days ago, Brown has yet to make plans for spending it.  “I really don’t know at this point,” she said, adding that she will be sharing it with her family.  One immediate use of the money will be to pay bills.

Brown, 48, said she isn’t a regular Lottery player but while shopping at the Ikea store in Canton, decided on a whim to purchase the Mega Millions ticket.  On Wednesday morning, she saw the Tuesday’s winning numbers broadcast on TV.  “I sensed it?I had the winning ticket.  I looked at the TV, I took out my ticket and I checked it.  And I continued to look at it!”

After realizing in fact that she did have the winner, Brown called her husband, who didn’t pick up his cell phone.  So she called her mother, then her sister, and went to work at her job as a loan officer.

“It was hard to get anything done!” she said, adding that she intends to keep working.

All proceeds from the Lottery are contributed to the state School Aid Fund which supports kindergarten through 12th grade public education in Michigan.  In fiscal year 2006, the contribution was $686.3 million.

For additional information, please visit the Lottery’s Web site at https://www.michiganlottery.com.