Gary “Cudder” Anderson poses for a photo with his daughter Cassie after winning $250,000 playing the Michigan Lottery’s 50X The Cash instant game.
A hungry Iron Mountain man filled more than his belly on his way to get a pasty for lunch. Gary “Cudder” Anderson also filled his pockets with cash after winning $250,000 in the Michigan Lottery’s 50X The Cash instant game.
Anderson stopped at the Quinnesec BP Gas Station and Food Shop, located at 3550 South U.S. 2 in Quinnesec, to buy a few Lottery tickets on his way to get lunch on Wednesday. He recently had some luck in the 50X The Cash instant game, and decided he’d buy one of the $10 tickets.
“I started scratching the ticket as soon as I got in my truck. I always scratch all of the numbers and reveal the prizes last,” Anderson said. “When I saw I had a winning ticket I was excited. I scratched the prize and thought it said $25, but it looked a little different than it usually does. When I looked closer I thought I had a $25,000 winner and I couldn’t believe it. I rubbed my eyes and looked a third time and saw it was $250,000!”
Word of Anderson’s good fortune began to spread quickly. The father of four called his three sons and daughter, and then a few family members and close friends.
“When I got to my dad’s house he couldn’t stop pacing, he was so excited,” said Anderson’s daughter, Cassie, who came with her father to Lottery headquarters. “He told me he wanted to exercise more, and he probably got about 30 miles of walking in just pacing around after he won. He just couldn’t sit still.”
Anderson put the ticket in a book for safe keeping overnight before making the eight-hour drive to Lansing on Thursday to collect his prize.
Anderson, who has been retired for about a year, plans to use his winnings to take a trip to visit family and use the remainder to supplement his retirement.
50X The Cash is the newest $10 instant game from the Lottery and features prizes ranging from $10 to $1 million. Three $1 million top prizes, 11 $250,000 prizes, 321 $10,000 and 3,236 $1,000 prizes remain for the instant game which launched on Jan. 6.
50X The Cash and other Lottery instant game tickets may be purchased at retailers across the state.
