LANSING, May 13, 2009 – Donna Owen of Portland is the lucky winner of a top $35,000 Mystery Cashword prize.

Owen kept the winning ticket in her wallet before cashing it at Lottery Central in Lansing. The lucky winner plans to pay bills and help her family with the prize money.

The lucky instant ticket was purchased at Westside Grocery, 751 W. Grand River Ave., in Portland.

Mystery Cashword 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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