LANSING, June 18, 2009 – Ben Manni of Sterling Heights was the lucky winner of a $20,000 prize on the Lottery’s The Three Stooges Instant ticket.

Manni plans to pay bills with the prize money.

The winning Instant ticket was purchased at Larry’s Market, 14419 Schoolcraft St., in Detroit.

The Three Stooges is just one of many Michigan Lottery Instant tickets available at nearly 11,000 Lottery retailers statewide.

Over 95 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2008, the contribution to schools was $740.7 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $15 billion to education in Michigan.

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

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