Gladys Salzwedel poses for a photo with Lottery Commissioner, Aric Nesbitt, after claiming her $5 million Mega Millions prize.
Winning a $5 million prize playing Mega Millions brought a Saginaw County woman to tears.
Gladys Salzwedel, of Oakley, matched the five white balls drawn – 17-27-41-51-52 – in the Oct. 27 Mega Millions drawing. Usually that’s good for a $1 million win prize. Thanks to her purchase of the optional Megaplier, Salzwedel’s prize was multiplied by five for a $5 million prize. She bought her winning ticket at the Admiral gas station, located at 12800 Brady Road in Chesaning. Oakley is about 30 miles south of Saginaw.
“I play Mega Millions and Powerball at the Admiral station religiously,” said the 68-year-old Salzwedel. “I checked my Powerball ticket the Monday after the drawings, but I was in a rush so I stuffed the Mega Millions ticket back in my purse.
“Later in the week, I saw a story on the news that there was a big winner sold at the Admiral, and it hit me that I hadn’t checked my ticket. I called for my husband to get the ticket out of my purse and look it over. When he came into the living room where I was, he said: ‘You’d better sit down.’ When he told me I’d won, I started bawling.”
Salzwedel’s winning ticket.
Salzwedel, who works as a home-health nurse, recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim her big prize. With her winnings she plans to retire, pay off all of her bills, share with her family and church, and take a trip down south.
“It’s such a blessing to win and be able to retire without having to worry about robbing Peter to pay Paul. God is so good,” Salzwedel said.
Mega Millions drawings take place each Tuesday and Friday evening. Each Mega Millions play is only $2. 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 are sold in 44 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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.
