A Redford Township woman has struck gold with the Michigan Lottery, winning a staggering $25,000 a year for life with the Lucky For Life game. Cindy Dziurgot, 52, was over the moon—or rather kept shouting "Oh my!"—when she found out about her windfall, according to FOX 2 Detroit. The lucky numbers that transformed her financial dreams into reality were drawn on March 23.
Dziurgot, who purchased her ticket at Value Center Market in Livonia, opted for the instant payout, taking home a lump sum of $390,000 instead of the annual payments. In a statement obtained by ClickOnDetroit, the elated winner shared her simple plan for the newfound fortune: pay off bills and invest the rest.
"This is going to make us debt free, which is an amazing feeling. We can also put some money away for our future, and knowing we have that cushion is invaluable," Dziurgot told MLive. She described how her husband initially thought she was going crazy after her jubilant outburst upon realizing the win. The couple then safeguarded the ticket until it was time to make the claim.
Her winning numbers; 01-03-08-13-29, made Dziurgot part of a fortunate group of Michiganders to taste lottery success. Her story especially resonates as a reminder to players of the importance of checking your tickets—an unclaimed $1 million Mega Millions ticket was reported by MLive to eventually contribute to the state's School Aid Fund after going unclaimed in Southfield in the previous year.
