Gov. Whitmer Appoints Jessica Weare Acting Commissioner of Lottery

Posted on July 21, 2023 by MI_Lottery

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has selected Jessica Weare to serve as acting commissioner at the Michigan Lottery.

Weare is currently deputy legal counsel to Governor Whitmer, advising on a range of legal issues confronting the State of Michigan including lottery, gaming, and Tribal affairs. Prior to returning to her home state, Jessica was associate general counsel for Global Trade Compliance at Facebook (now Meta). Earlier in her legal career, Jessica spent nearly a decade as an attorney-adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. Department of State. Immediately after law school, she served as a judicial clerk to Justice Dana Fabe on the Alaska Supreme Court. Jessica received her BA from Alma College, where she was a Truman and Fulbright Scholar, and her JD from Yale Law School.

“It is an honor to carry forward the mission of the Michigan Lottery alongside the countless public servants and Lottery retailers, many of which are small businesses,” said incoming Acting Commissioner Weare. “The Lottery has been a vital source of funding for Michigan’s public schools for decades, including recent years when it has delivered over $1 billion of revenue to support students. This will continue to drive our focus as we support schools across the state.”

Under Commissioner Brian Neill’s leadership, the Lottery contributed more than $6 billion to the School Aid Fund, supporting public education in Michigan. The Lottery also set several records, including posting an all-time high School Aid Fund contribution of $1.419 billion.

“I am honored to have served in Gov. Whitmer’s cabinet as Lottery Commissioner for the last five years,” said Commissioner Neill. “The success of Lottery would not be possible without the support of our players, retailers, vendors, and dedicated public-service professionals across state government. I am proud to have played a role in the success of Lottery since joining the team in 2013, and look forward to serving the citizens of Grand Rapids on the 61st District Court.”

Commissioner Neill’s last day is July 30 as he is set to take his role on the bench of the 61st District Court in Grand Rapids on July 31. Jessica Weare will become acting commissioner upon his departure.

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Westland Man Wins $150,000 Powerball Prize from the Michigan Lottery

Posted on July 21, 2023 by MI_Lottery

Winning TicketWinning a $150,000 Powerball prize from the Michigan Lottery has given a Westland man the opportunity to help others in his community.

David Gibbons, 77, matched four white balls and the Powerball – 02-38-44-50-62, PB: 19 – in the June 24 drawing to win a $50,000 prize. Thanks to the Power Play, the prize was multiplied to $150,000. He bought his winning ticket at Romulus Liquor, located at 30601 Eureka Road in Romulus.

“I play Powerball twice a month and always get easy pick tickets,” said Gibbons. “When I checked my ticket, I was so happy because I knew it meant I could help others. I am going to share with my family and help two charities that are important to me.”

Gibbons recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. In addition to sharing his winnings with others, he also plans to take a trip.

“Winning this money is a blessing and gives me the opportunity to impact the lives of others. If I can make a difference for just one person, that’s an amazing feeling,” Gibbons said.

Powerball plays may be purchased for $2 each at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com. A “Power Play” option that multiplies non-jackpot prizes by up to 10 times to a maximum of $2 million may be added to any Powerball play for only $1. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Powerball ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $10 million in the nightly Double Play drawing.

The Powerball drawing takes place at 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and may be watched live online at: http://www.powerball.com. Powerball tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

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Michigan Lottery Player Wins $25,000 a Year for Life Playing Lucky For Life; Winning Ticket Bought Online

Posted on July 21, 2023 by MI_Lottery

Lucky For LifeA Michigan Lottery player is waking up to a lifetime of cash after winning $25,000 a year for life playing Lucky For Life.

A ticket matched the five white balls drawn Thursday night – 12-27-31-39-46 – to win the big prize. The winning ticket was online at MichiganLottery.com. This is the sixth time this year a Michigan player has won a lifetime prize playing Lucky For Life.

The lucky winner has two choices to collect the big prize:

  • Annual $25,000 payments for a minimum of 20 years or life, whichever is greater, or
  • A one-time lump sum cash payment of $390,000

The lucky winner should contact the Michigan Lottery Player Relations Division at 844-887-6836, option 2 to schedule an appointment to collect the big prizes. The prize must be claimed at the Lottery’s headquarters in Lansing. Lucky For Life tickets are valid for one year from the drawing date.

For just $2 per play, Lucky For Life gives Lottery players a chance to win prizes ranging from $3 to a lifetime of cash. To win the game’s top prize of $1,000 a day for life, players must match all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48, plus one Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18. Players who match all five winning numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, will win $25,000 a year for life. Drawings take place at 10:38 p.m. seven days-a-week. Tickets may be purchased at Lottery retailers across the state and online at MichiganLottery.com.

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Davison Man Wins $192,901 Fantasy 5 Jackpot

Posted on July 20, 2023 by MI_Lottery

Greg EscueA Davison man searched high a low for his Fantasy 5 ticket before learning he had won a $192,901 jackpot from the Michigan Lottery.

Greg Escue, 66, was one of two winners who matched the winning numbers on July 9: 19-24-29-33-34. Each winner will receive $192,901. Escue bought his winning ticket at the Kroger gas station, located at 524 North State Street in Davison. Davison is about 10 miles east of Flint.

“I was scrolling through the nightly results and saw that the Fantasy 5 jackpot had been hit,” said Escue. “I got out of bed to get my tickets and they were nowhere to be found. I finally went out to my car, and there they were.

“Once I got back inside, I went through the tickets one-by-one, line-by-line. As soon as I saw five matching numbers, I had the craziest feeling. I was so excited, I thought I was having a heart attack!”

Escue recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. With his winnings, he plans to take a vacation and then save the remainder.

“I always try to be positive and optimistic. I’m always telling people: ‘When you buy a ticket, you go from no chance to as good a chance as anyone to win,’” Escue said.

Each Fantasy 5 play is only $1. For an additional $1 per play, EZmatch may be added to a Fantasy 5 ticket, giving players a chance to win up to $500 instantly. For an additional $1 per play, Double Play may be added to a Fantasy 5 ticket, giving players a second chance to win up to $110,000 in the nightly Double Play drawing. Fantasy 5 players select five numbers from one to 39. Players who match all five Fantasy 5 numbers drawn win a jackpot that starts at $100,000. Fantasy 5 drawings are held seven days a week at 7:29 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at a retailer or online at MichiganLottery.com until 7:08 p.m. on the day of the drawing.

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Wayne County Woman Wins $500,000 Playing Michigan Lottery’s $500 Large Instant Game

Posted on July 20, 2023 by MI_Lottery

Winning TicketA store clerk’s lucky pick led to a 22-year-old Wayne County woman winning a $500,000 prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s $500 Large instant game.

“My boyfriend and I stopped to get a bottle of wine on a way to a party at his grandmother’s house,” said the player, who chose to remain anonymous. “When I was checking out, I asked the clerk to grab me a $5 instant game ticket, and he handed me the $500 Large ticket.

“When I got back to the car, I scratched the ticket off and saw I matched the number six for a $500,000 prize. I ran back inside to have the ticket scanned and that when everything got crazy. People were all so excited for me and celebrating my huge win!”

The player bought her winning ticket at Mac’s II, located at 22399 Northline Road in Taylor.

The player visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim her prize. With her winnings, she plans to share with family and then save the remainder.

“Growing up, we made ends meet but it was tight. Going from having almost nothing to having something in my bank account is overwhelming, but amazing at the same time,” the player said.

Players have won more than $9 million playing $500 Large, which launched in May. Each $5 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $500,000. More than $22.7 million in prizes remain, including two $500,000 top prizes.

In 2022, Lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games.

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

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