Michigan Lottery players looking for a way to retire early should buy Mega Millions tickets for Tuesday’s drawing and a chance at $253 million.
The $253 million Mega Millions jackpot is the third-largest in the past 12 months for the multi-state game. In November 2014, a lucky New York player won a $326 million jackpot. The cash option for Friday’s jackpot is about $157 million.
If a Michigan Lottery player wins Tuesday’s $253 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 a $208 million Mega Millions prize.
The Mega Millions game has been lucrative for Michigan Lottery players in 2015. This year, three winning tickets have matched the five white balls drawn to win $1 million. One additional ticket matched the five white balls and had the Megaplier option, which increased the $1 million prize to $5 million.
One of the $1 million winners came last week with a winning ticket purchased at T&J Party Store, located at 2882 Shaffer Southeast in Kentwood.
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 winners from last week’s drawing and the Aug. 5 Mega Millions drawing should contact the Michigan Lottery Public Relations Division at (517) 373-1237 to schedule an appointment to collect their big prizes. The prizes must be claimed at the Lottery’s headquarters in Lansing. Mega Millions tickets 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.
Mega Millions tickets may be purchased at the Lottery’s 11,000 retailers around the state until 10:45 p.m. the day of the drawing.
