IONIA COUNTY, Mich. — An Ionia County man managed to turn a non-winning lottery ticket into a pile of cash earlier this month.
The Michigan Lottery said the 51-year-old, who wants to stay anonymous, was selected in a random second-chance drawing on April 4.
He took home the top prize of $100,000 in Michigan Lottery's 500X Money Maker second chance game.
Lottery officials said he got more entries into the giveaway by scanning his non-winning tickets on the Michigan Lottery app.
“I’ve been scanning my non-winning tickets to earn entries into the second chance drawing,” the player said. “When I checked my email, I saw one from the Michigan Lottery from a few days prior saying I won $100,000. I called the Lottery right away, but it was the weekend, so I had to wait until Monday to confirm I was the winner! I bet I called 10 times during the weekend hoping I might get lucky and someone would be working overtime and answer the phone!”
He went to Lottery headquarters recently to claim his prize. He plans to buy some new tools, pay his bills and save the rest of his winnings.
Each non-winning 500X Money Maker ticket is eligible for a second chance to win a prize ranging from $500 up to $100,000.
Players can enter by scanning their non-winning tickets on the Michigan Lottery mobile app ticket scanner by June 21, 2024.
Three more second chance drawings will be conducted.
Each drawing will award:
• One winner of $100,000
• Five winners of $10,000
• Twenty winners of $1,000
• Sixty winners of $500
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