A lucky Lottery player from Shepherd is looking forward to a very Merry Christmas after winning $500,000 playing the Michigan Lottery’s Instant game Holiday Millions!

 The player was hoping to win some money, but never thought he’d get the big prize. “I left the tickets in the van while I went into my friend’s house to watch the football game,” he said. The player (who prefers to remain anonymous) got so involved in the game that he forgot all about the four instant tickets waiting for him in the van.

Later, while he was driving home, his curiosity about the tickets got the best of him. So he pulled off the road, and started ticket scratching.

The first ticket was a $15 winner. The second netted the player $10. This was getting good! The player eagerly scratched off the third ticket, and was stunned. I know I didn’t see what I just think I saw, he thought to himself. The player headed home, not knowing what to think. After all, he was reading his ticket in the dark with nothing but the van’s dome light, maybe he was wrong.

But after he arrived at home and re-checked the ticket, there was no doubt in his mind. He was so excited that he called his friend, the one he’d just watched football with, to tell him “I don’t think I’ll be coming in to work tomorrow!”

“When I got home with the kids, he was sitting in the middle of the floor with this strange look on his face,” said his wife of 16 years.

When he showed her the ticket, she began to scream and jump around. “I was a little worried for a minute,” said the winner laughing. “She was eating something and I thought she might choke!”

The winning ticket was sold at Blodgett Foodmart #303 located at 48 S. Coleman Rd. in Mt. Pleasant.