After decades of faithfully buying Lotto 47 tickets twice a week, a 65-year-old Bay County woman finally hit the big one, matching all six numbers in the March 21 drawing to snag a $1.1 million jackpot. She has opted to stay anonymous and took the one-time lump-sum payout, worth about $762,000.
How She Found Out
The winner said the life-changing news started with a simple text from her neighbor, who wrote that Beson's had sold a jackpot ticket. She pulled out her own playslip, checked the numbers, and, in her words, "went absolutely crazy" when she realized the winning ticket was hers, according to ClickOnDetroit. The ticket matched all six Lotto 47 numbers, 04-18-20-26-27-31, in the March 21 drawing, the outlet reported.
Where the Ticket Was Sold
The lucky slip was sold at Beson's Supermarket at 1480 South Huron Road in Kawkawlin, about 10 miles northwest of Bay City, according to WNEM. The sale adds Beson's to a growing list of smaller Michigan retailers that have recently moved jackpot-winning tickets.
What She Plans To Do
Lottery officials said the player chose to receive her winnings as a one-time lump-sum payment of about $762,000 and told them she plans to save the money, ClickOnDetroit reported. She is keeping a low profile while she finishes the claim process.
How Lotto 47 Works
Lotto 47 tickets cost $1 per play, and the jackpot starts at $1 million with drawings held every Wednesday and Saturday at 7:29 p.m. For an extra $1, players can add Double Play to enter a second drawing with a top prize of $1.5 million, or pay another $1 for EZMatch, which offers instant-win prizes up to $500, according to the Michigan Lottery's Lotto 47 page.
Recent Winners Keep Turning Up
The Bay County winner is part of a hot streak for Lotto 47 players. A 69-year-old Oakland County woman scored a $1.2 million jackpot in the March 11 drawing, according to ClickOnDetroit. Earlier in March, a Tuscola County player landed a $3.98 million prize after a family text alerted her that someone local had won, WNEM reported.
Claiming and Next Steps
The Michigan Lottery advises jackpot winners to contact its Player Relations office, which helps them navigate payout options, tax paperwork, and other documentation, according to the Michigan Lottery. The Lotto 47 page also lays out the game’s odds, add-on options, and upcoming drawing schedule.
