Oakland County Woman Wins $100,000 Playing the Michigan Lottery’s Autumn Bucks Instant Game Online


An Oakland County woman is looking forward to giving her kids a nice Christmas after winning $100,000 playing the Michigan Lottery’s Autumn Bucks instant game online.

“My favorite game to play online is Magic Money Ride, but I saw the Autumn Bucks game and wanted to give it a try,” said the 40-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous. “I played the max bet of $20, and a few spins later, the prize amount of $100,000 came up on the screen. I had to exit out of the game and double check my account balance to make sure I was seeing things right!”

The lucky player visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim her big prize.

“Winning is a great feeling and will allow me to buy a house and give my kids a nice Christmas,” the player said.

Michigan Lottery players have a chance to win up to $2.1 million instantly playing online. Players also may win prizes ranging from $1 up to multimillion-dollar jackpots playing Powerball, Mega Millions, Lucky for Life, Lotto 47, and Fantasy 5 online. Through its online platform, the Lottery offers players more than 200 different games with plays ranging in price from 5 cents to $50.

More than 1 million players have registered to play the Lottery’s online games, which were launched in 2014. For more information or to play online, visit https://news.michiganlottery.com/OnlineGames.

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Eaton County Educator Wins Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery

Dave Gorbe holding $2,000 Excellence in Education checkAn Eaton County educator known for his dedication and commitment to his students has been honored with an Excellence In Education award from the Michigan Lottery.

The award winner, Dave Gorbe, is a band teacher at Waverly Middle and High School. The school is part of Waverly Community Schools.

The Michigan Lottery established the Excellence In Education awards in 2014 to recognize outstanding public-school educators across the state during the school year.

Winners of the weekly award receive a $2,000 cash prize. At the end of the school year, one of the weekly award winners will be selected to receive the Lottery’s Educator of the Year award and will receive a $10,000 cash prize.

Each winner also is featured in a news segment on the Lottery’s media partner stations: WXYZ-TV in Detroit, FOX 17 in Grand Rapids, FOX 47 in Lansing, WNEM-TV in Saginaw, and WWTV-TV in Traverse City. The news segment featuring Gorbe will air this evening.

Gorbe says his desire to work with kids led him to a career in education.

“I wanted to work with kids and enjoyed my time as a band student when I was in school. I love music and want to give my students the opportunities I had growing up.”

Gorbe says his favorite activity to do with students is marching in the Silver Bells parade.

“Marching season seems to be most students’ favorite part of the year. We always look forward to marching in the Silver Bells parade every year.”

Gorbe was nominated for the award by a student.

“Dave Gorbe, my band teacher, is a true inspiration and has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to education. With his exceptional skills, unwavering dedication, and innovative teaching methods, he has significantly impacted the lives of countless students. Mr. Gorbe posses an unmatched passion for teaching that radiates through every interaction he has with his students. He goes above and beyond in his role as a band teacher, constantly seeking new ways to engage and motivate his students. Whether it’s organizing extra practice sessions, attending student performances outside of school hours, or simply providing a listening ear, he consistently demonstrates his dedication to his students’ success.

“One of Mr. Gorbe’s outstanding qualities is his ability to adapt and innovate his teaching methods to cater to the unique needs of his students. He recognizes that every individual has different learning styles and utilizes a variety of instructional strategies to reach each student effectively. Mr. Gorbe also serves as a mentor and role model for his students. He is genuinely invested in their personal growth, offering guidance and support as they navigate through life’s challenges. Dave Gorbe is a true exemplar of excellence in education, and his unwavering commitment to his students makes him truly deserving of this prestigious recognition.”

Gorbe earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. He has been an educator for 27 years, the last 25 in his current position.

Excellence in Education award nominees are evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Excellence – Their work consistently helps students and/or their schools or school districts advance to higher levels of academic achievement.
  • Dedication – They consistently go above and beyond expectations to help students succeed.
  • Inspiration – Their work inspires others around them to exceed expectations either academically or professionally.
  • Leadership – They demonstrate clear leadership skills in their positions with their school or school districts.
  • Effectiveness – The nominee’s work has clear and positive results on the educational advancement of students within the school or school district.
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Grand Traverse County Man Wins $1 Million Mega Millions Prize from the Michigan Lottery

Winning TicketA Grand Traverse County man is looking forward to living debt-free after winning a $1 million Mega Millions prize from the Michigan Lottery.

Kyle Becker, of Interlochen, matched the five white balls in the Oct. 27 drawing to win $1 million: 11-32-43-57-70. He bought his winning ticket at Miracle Mile E-Z Mart, located at 509 Munson Avenue in Traverse City.

“I usually buy a Mega Millions ticket every few weeks,” said Becker. “I was on my way to my property to hunt early one morning and stopped to check my Mega Millions ticket. I got a message to file a claim at the Lottery office when I scanned it, so I asked the clerk what that meant. She told me I must have won big, and when I asked how big, she thought maybe a couple thousand dollars.

“When I got in my truck, I looked up the winning numbers and saw I matched five for a $1 million prize. When I told my wife how much we won, she didn’t believe me until I sent her a picture of the ticket. I was having a hard time believing it myself, but I couldn’t verify the prize until Monday morning when the Lottery office opened. I still can’t believe it’s real even though I am here claiming the prize!

“Winning means being debt-free and having a nice financial cushion for me and my family.”

Becker, 37, recently visited headquarters to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to pay bills and live debt-free.

Mega Millions drawings take place each Tuesday and Friday evening. Each Mega Millions play is only $2. For an additional $1 per play, players have the opportunity to add a “Megaplier” that can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to five times. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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A Michigan Lottery Reminder: Practice Responsible Giving this Holiday Season

Gift ResponsiblyThe Michigan Lottery has teamed up with the National Council on Problem Gambling to remind players to practice responsible giving this holiday season when using Lottery tickets as gifts.

Throughout the holiday season, the Lottery will be sharing messages on its social media channels, running digital ads, and running spots on radio stations across the state promoting responsible gifting. Players also will notice responsible gifting messages on the Lottery’s website, draw game tickets, and video displays at retailers.

All Lottery players must be at least 18 years old, so Lottery tickets shouldn’t be used as gifts for minors. This includes tickets for games such as Mega Millions, Powerball, and Lucky For Life, as well as the popular instant game tickets, which often are given as gifts during the holidays. For more information about the Lottery’s commitment responsible gaming, visit: www.michiganlottery.com/responsible_gaming.

The holidays also may be a stressful time for some people, and it is best to avoid gaming activities when stressed. The Lottery reminds players: knowing your limits is always the best bet. The Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline is available to provide free, one-on-one support for players who may have a problem. For confidential help 24 hours a day, seven days a week, players may call 1-800-270-7117. Chat and text options also are available through www.michiganlottery.com.

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Otsego County Woman Wins $1 Million Playing Michigan Lottery’s Cashword Times 20 Instant Game

Bonnie Hitchings (right) and her husband Charles Hitchings. A retailer selling out of an Otsego County woman’s favorite game led her to trying a new game and winning a $1 million prize playing the Michigan Lottery’s Cashword Times 20 instant game.

Bonnie Hitchings, of Johannesburg, bought her winning ticket at the Shell gas station, located at 1025 West Main Street in Gaylord. Johannesburg is about 12 miles southwest of Gaylord.

“I stopped at the gas station to buy a few Daily 4 tickets,” said Hitchings. “When I was checking out, I asked for the Win $100, $200 or $500 ticket, but they were sold out, so I got a Cashword Times 20 ticket instead. I scratched the barcode and scanned the ticket three times. I kept getting a message to file a claim at the lottery office, so I assumed their scanner was broken and went out to my car to scan it on the Lottery app.

“When I scanned the ticket, confetti came up on the screen with a message saying I won $1 million. I went back into the store to show the worker and everyone in the store was so excited. Everywhere I go lately I have people stopping to congratulate me. It’s a crazy and exciting feeling!”

Hitchings, 67, recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim the big prize. She chose to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $634,000 rather than annuity payments for the full amount. With her winnings, she plans to take a trip to Alaska and invest.

Players have won more than $77 million playing Cashword Times 20, which launched in Sept. 2022. Each $20 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $20 up to $1 million. More than $19 million in prizes remain, including one $1 million top prize, 16 $5,000 prizes, and 217 $1,000 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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