A Macomb County man’s low fuel light led to him winning a $300,000 prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s Wild Time Deluxe instant game.

The lucky player, who chose to remain anonymous, bought his winning ticket at Napoleon Auto Service, located at 13651 East 14 Mile Road in Sterling Heights.

“I always play the Wild Time Deluxe game, but I usually purchase my tickets at a specific retailer,” said the 46-year-old player. “I was driving home, and my low fuel light came on, so I stopped at the nearest gas station and decided to get some lottery tickets while I was there.

“I started scratching the tickets and realized I’d matched the number 26. When I revealed the amount, I couldn’t believe it. I took the ticket in to the retailer to check it and when I got the message to file a claim, I knew it was real.”

The lucky player visited Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to help his family and take a vacation overseas.

“All I could think when I won was how much I will be able to help my family with this money. It’s a great feeling,” the player said.

Players have won more than $12 million playing Wild Time Deluxe, which launched in April. Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $300,000. More than $20 million in prizes remain, including two $300,000 top-prizes, six $25,000 prizes and 20 $2,500 prizes.

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

In 2020, Lottery players won more than $1.5 billion playing instant games.