A Michigan lottery club's dedication to a unique funding strategy has finally paid off after 30 years of consistent play. The Winfield lottery club, a family trio from Fenton, has scored a $1 million Mega Millions prize, funded by their routine of recycling cans and bottles for extra cash. According to an article by Mid Michigan Now, the lucky ticket was purchased at a Kroger store located at 700 North State Road in Davison, matching the five white balls drawn on May 17: 08-17-40-60-70.
“Shortly after the drawing, I remembered I hadn’t checked our Mega Millions ticket yet, so I pulled up the winning numbers and looked the ticket over", club representative Kenneth Baran stated in a report by WZZM 13. Doubting their luck, Baran had their spouse confirm the win before spreading the word, per the Michigan Lottery Connect: "When all the numbers matched except the Mega Ball, I thought: ‘I’m not seeing this right.’” The nerves kicked in as they realized their persistence had finally yielded a significant return.
It's a story of patience and perseverance for the Winfield club, who have spent decades collecting and saving the small change from their recycling efforts specifically to play the lottery. "We are family members who have been playing the Lottery together for more than 30 years,” a club member reflected in a Michigan Lottery Connect interview. Their collective investment strategy had always been clear: pool the proceeds from a shared, eco-conscious habit into a shot at financial fortune.
The group visited the Michigan Lottery headquarters soon after to claim their prize, planning to invest their winnings wisely. Mega Millions is a lottery game available across 45 states, plus Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with tickets on sale at just $2. For an extra $1, players can opt to add a "Megaplier," potentially multiplying non-jackpot prizes by up to five times.
