A Michigan resident from Van Buren County had a stroke of luck when a cashier's Error led to his $1 million lottery win. The 45-year-old man meant to purchase a different lottery game but ended up keeping the mistakenly given Major Cashword ticket from a Speedway gas station in Paw Paw, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
The man recounted his experience, "I play Cashword tickets occasionally, but purchasing this ticket was a total fluke," he told the Detroit Free Press. When the reality of his win sunk in, the winner went to unusual lengths to secure the ticket by placing the ticket in a jar, and then burying it in his yard.
Upon discovering the prize amount through a smartphone app the next day, he was initially in disbelief. "When $1 million came up on the screen, I felt like I couldn’t breathe! I thought it was some sort of prank at first," he explained, per Michigan Lottery Connect. His caution prompted a rather unconventional method of safeguarding his newfound fortune.
The winner ultimately decided to claim his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $634,000, rather than opting for annuity payments for the full million. He plans to use the money to clear debts, pay off his home, and bolster his retirement savings. Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli commented on the unusual story, "Lottery players find interesting ways to keep their tickets safe after scoring a big win," she indicated, uniquely praising his decision to bury the ticket as a "unique way to hang on to a winning ticket," as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
