Michael Buckner, a South Carolina resident who divides his time between his home state and his workplace in Escanaba, Michigan, found fortune in a most unexpected way. Buckner, 58, walked away with a $2 million prize from the Michigan Lottery after purchasing a Mega Multiplier ticket. As reported by WZZM 13, Buckner faced a leisurely dilemma, pondering whether to go to the casino or purchase instant tickets, ultimately deciding on the latter. "When I scratched off the $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier game and saw I won $2 million, I didn’t think it was real. I called my girlfriend to tell her what I won, but she didn’t believe it either. It still hasn’t fully sunk in!” Buckner told WZZM 13. His girlfriend, likewise, did not believe the news until it was irrefutably confirmed.
The lottery win, as detailed by clickondetroit, comes from a ticket bought at the Gladstone Mobil on Lake Shore Drive, just a stone’s throw from where he is employed. Buckner claimed his winnings at the Michigan Lottery headquarters, choosing a lump sum of $1.3 million over annuity payments, deciding that the immediate cash would better serve his immediate plans: to pay bills, share with family, and bolster his savings. Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli commended him saying, “Michael made a winning decision when he spent $20 to buy a $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier instant game ticket.”
Michigan Lottery's instant games continue to be a strong revenue source, with contributions exceeding $1 billion to the School Aid Fund for the sixth year running. The success of these games can be exemplified by players like Buckner, who benefit from the prizes offered - ranging from $20 up to $2 million - as reported by milotteryconnect. The $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier instant game that brought Buckner his windfall launched this past September, and according to the Michigan Lottery, still has two top prizes up for grabs.
Michigan's instant games alone brought in nearly $1.8 billion for players in 2023. “Players have won more than $12 million playing $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier which launched in September,” detailed by milotteryconnect, with more than $96 million in prizes still available, including the coveted $2 million top prizes.
