Dillan Dybilas (left) poses for a photo with longtime friend Robert Sopsich and his wife, Erin, after the pair claimed a $1 million prize from the Michigan Lottery.

Two longtime friends are celebrating after winning $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Millionaire Maker instant game.

Robert Sopsich, 30, of Hartland, and Dillan Dybilas, 20, of Ubly, won the big prize after buying a Millionaire Maker ticket at the Hilltop Party Store, located at 12402 Highland Road in Hartland.

“We’d each been buying tickets but hadn’t won much, so we decided to put our money together and split the winnings,” said Sopsich. “We stopped and bought a couple tickets last week and when we got back in the truck, started scratching them off.”

Winning Ticket

“I looked over at Robert and his mouth was hanging wide open,” said Dybilas. “I asked him how much we’d won and when he said ‘$1 million,’ I had to see the ticket for myself.”

“When I saw the ‘1MIL’ symbol it was like lightning going through my body,” said Sopsich. “We went to my house right away to tell my wife, and all we could do was celebrate because we knew winning meant we’d be debt free.”

Sopsich and Dybilas visited Lottery headquarters Tuesday to claim the big prize. They chose to receive their prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $634,000 rather than annuity payments for the full amount. Each player received about $317,000 before income tax withholdings.

Players have won more than $28 million playing Millionaire Maker which launched in April. Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $40 up to $1 million. More than $70 million in prizes remain, including nine $1 million top prizes and 45 $5,000 prizes.

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.