A Michigan Lottery player is waking up a millionaire after winning $1 million playing Mega Millions.
A lucky player matched the five white balls drawn – 01-39-52-69-72 – in Tuesday’s drawing to win a $1 million prize. The player purchased the winning ticket at the T&J Party Store, located at 2882 Shaffer Southeast in Kentwood.
No jackpot winning tickets were purchased for Tuesday’s drawing, increasing the jackpot to $233 million for Friday’s drawing. The $233 million jackpot is the Mega Millions third-largest in the past 12 months. In November 2014, a lucky New York player won a $326 million jackpot. The cash option for Friday’s jackpot is about $143 million.
If a Michigan Lottery player wins Friday’s $233 million jackpot, it would be the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in the state. On April 22, 2005, a Port Huron couple, Ralph and Mary Stebbins, won $208 million.
The Mega Millions game has been lucrative for Michigan Lottery players in 2015. This year, three winning tickets have matched the five white balls to win $1 million. One of those tickets featured the Megaplier option which increased the $1 million prize to $5 million.
Michigan players also had success playing Mega Millions in 2014. On Friday, June 13, 2014, Kelsey Zachow, of Port Huron, won a $66 million jackpot. Four other Michigan Lottery players each won $1 million playing Mega Millions in 2014. That includes a player who won $1 million in the Aug. 5 drawing and has yet to claim the big prize. That winning ticket was sold at the CVS Pharmacy, located at 727 28th Street Southeast in Grand Rapids.
The $1 million winner from last night’s Mega Millions drawing and the Aug. 5 drawing should contact the Michigan Lottery Public Relations Division at (517) 373-1237 to schedule an appointment to collect their big prize. The prizes must be claimed at the Lottery’s headquarters in Lansing. Tickets for Mega Millions are valid for one year from the drawing date.
Mega Millions drawings take place each Tuesday and Friday evening. Each Mega Millions play is only $1. For an additional $1 per play, players have the opportunity to add a “Megaplier” that can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to five times.
Tickets for Mega Millions drawings may be purchased at the Lottery’s 11,000 retailers around the state until 10:45 p.m. the day of the drawing.