Stephanie Harvell poses for a photo with her husband, Mitchell, after claiming her $500,000 Hot Jackpot prize.

A Bay City woman won $500,000 playing the Michigan Lottery’s Hot Jackpot instant game on the same day she got an eviction notice.

Stephanie Harvell, 25, won the $500,000 prize on a Hot Jackpot instant game ticket her husband purchased at the Speedway gas station, located at 740 North Euclid Avenue in Bay City.

“I cried like a baby when I saw what I’d won,” said Harvell. “I still can’t believe it.”

Harvell and her husband have two little girls and have been living paycheck-to-paycheck.

“We both work really hard, and it’s been tough to support our family,” said Harvell. “We recently lost a car and the day I scratched off this ticket we got an eviction notice.”

Harvell visited Lottery headquarters with her husband on Monday to claim her big prize. With her winnings, Harvell plans to buy a house and a car, and set up college funds for her daughters.

Stephanie Harvell’s $500,000 winning ticket.

“It’s hard to find words for what this means to our family, but it couldn’t have come at a better time,” Harvell said.

Players have won more than $1.4 million playing Hot Jackpot, which launched last week. Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $500,000. More than $45.5 million in prizes remain, including three $500,000 top prizes, 12 $25,000 prizes, and 50 $1,000 prizes.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at 11,000 retailers across the state.