A Jackson County man turned a small bonus into a $300,000 prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s 25th Anniversary Wild Time instant game.

“I got a little bonus from work Sunday, so my wife and I decided to celebrate by going to the casino,” said the 48-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “On the way, we bought a couple scratch-off tickets.

“I scratched the tickets off but didn’t look at them too closely. We ended up winning $300 at the casino, which we thought was great. I came across the tickets this morning and double checked them, and that’s when I saw I had won $300,000. My first thought was: ‘My house is paid for!’”

The player bought the winning ticket at the TA Travel Center, located at 15874 Eleven Mile Road in Battle Creek.

The player visited Lottery headquarters Wednesday to claim the big prize. In addition to paying off his house, he plans to use his winnings to buy a new car.

“Winning means we’ve got a secure future, and I am happy knowing that,” the player said.

Players won more than $54 million playing 25th Anniversary Wild Time, which launched in December 2017. Each $5 ticket offered players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $300,000.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at 10,500 retailers across the state.

In 2018, Lottery players won more than $1 billion playing instant games.