A LUCKY lottery player has won $4 million after purchasing her ticket in a grocery store but she only pocketed close to half that amount due to a snap decision.
The player chose to remain anonymous after discovering the good news but spoke about her reaction to the winning ticket, believing it was a sign from her late father.
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The player purchased the winning ticket at a Royal Liquor Food Markert in Jackson County, Michigan – just over an hour’s drive from Detroit.
“Before my dad passed, he would always buy me scratch-off tickets, so I can’t help but think this is a gift from him!” the 48-year-old woman told Michigan Lottery Connect.
“I randomly buy scratch-off tickets every few months,” she explained.
“Usually, I buy $1 or $2 tickets, but when I was at the store, I decided to take a chance on the World Class Millions game.
“I scratched it when I got home, and when I saw I won $4 million, I showed my mom and said: ‘Am I reading this right?!'”.
The $4 million sum was the top prize of the World Class Millions instant game.
The anonymous player won this whopping prize earlier this week.
After discovering the good news, she went to the Lottery headquarters to claim her winnings.
A snap decision, however, resulted in the lucky winner losing $1.3 million of the prize money.
The player decided to receive her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $2.7 million.
The other option – which she dismissed – was to receive annuity payments for the full amount.
The winner reportedly plans to donate some of her winnings to charity and put the remainder into savings.
“I plan to continue working, and when the time comes, I am going to use my winnings as a financial cushion for retirement,” she said.
HOW TO PLAY
World Class Millions is a fairly new addition to the US Lottery.
It was only launched in June 2023 and since then, players have won more than $73 million.
Tickets cost $30 – certainly a higher price tag than other lottery games.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?
The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.
Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.
Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.
Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.
Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity.
Players have the chance to win anything between $30 and $40 million.
Apparently, more than $91 million in prizes remain.
This includes two of the $4 million top prizes, 13 of the $15,000 prizes, and 131 of the $5,000 prizes.
It seems that World Class Millions can only be played in Michigan.
Tickets for the game can be purchased at retailers across the state.
The odds of winning the top prize of $4 million are reportedly 1 in 3.41.
Top lottery winners in the US
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Alvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Unknown winner – $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.
BIG WINNINGS
This woman is not the only individual to have won a hefty sum in recent times.
A Delaware player won $4 million in a Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday.
They matched five of the winning numbers but not the gold Mega Ball.
Had they also had the Mega Ball number, the player would have pocketed the whopping sum of $498 million.
No one won this jackpot prize on Tuesday, meaning it has been rolled over to Friday’s drawing.
The jackpot sum has now risen to $527 million.
Another lucky payer in Massachusetts won $1 million after purchasing a $10 scratch-off.
The woman had originally gone into the store to purchase a bag of Doritos for her daughter when she decided to pick up the scratch-off too.
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