“I’ve been having good luck with the Emerald 7s ticket lately, so that’s been my go-to game,” said the lucky 65-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I scratched the ticket and saw I’d won $500,000! I had to reread the instructions several times to make sure I really did win.
“It took more than a week for the feeling of complete shock to wear off. To be honest, I don’t feel much different yet because it still feels surreal.”
The player bought her winning ticket at Pontiac Outlets, located at 165 South Telegraph Road in Pontiac. She recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. With her winnings, she plans to buy a house and pay off her truck.
Players have won more than $10 million playing Emerald 7s, which launched in June. Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $500,000. More than $11 million in prizes remain, including one $500,000 top prize and 13 $1,000 prizes.
In 2025, Lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games.
Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.