Robert Carmona and his wife, Becky, pose for a photo after collecting his $25,000 a year for life prize.

After learning a winning Lucky For Life ticket was purchased at his favorite retailer, a Bay City man waited a few days before checking his ticket.

Robert Carmona, 47, matched the five white balls drawn Thursday night – 05-21-28-35-47 – to win $25,000 a year for life. He bought his winning ticket at the Riverview Party Store, located at 3885 Kawkawlin River Drive in Bay City.  Carmona is the eighth Michigan winner of a lifetime prize in the Lucky For Life game.

Carmona first learned he might be a winner when his wife, Becky, told him she had read a winning ticket was bought at the Riverview Party Store.

“When she told me that, I thought: ‘What are the chances?’” he said. “I really didn’t think there was any chance I had the winner.”

Carmona waited a couple of days before checking his ticket and then had to convince his wife that he was the winner.

“I looked at the ticket over and over and over again,” said Carmona. “When I told Becky that I did have the winning ticket, she kept telling me to stop joking with her.

“When she finally saw it for herself, she was shocked and incredibly excited!”

Carmona visited Lottery headquarters with his wife on Wednesday to claim his prize. He chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum cash payment of $390,000. He could have chosen payments of $25,000 annually for 20 years or for life, whichever is greater.

Robert Carmona’s winning Lucky For Life ticket.

With his winnings, Carmona plans to start college funds for his three daughters and invest the remainder.

Michigan players have won more than $11.3 million so far playing Lucky For Life, including the eight $25,000 a year for life winners, and 61 $5,000 winners. Each Lucky For Life drawing is producing about 13,300 winners on average in Michigan.

For just $2 per play, Lucky For Life gives Lottery players a chance to win prizes ranging from $3 to a lifetime of cash. To win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life, players must match all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48, plus one Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18. Players who match all five winning numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, will win $25,000 a year for life. Lucky For Life drawings take place every Monday and Thursday at 10:35 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at Lottery retailers across the state.