A routine gas stop in Grand Rapids just turned into the kind of story lottery players daydream about. A 45-year-old Kent County man parlayed a quick $20 win into a $2 million scratch-off jackpot, according to Michigan Lottery officials. The winner, who asked to keep his name private, bought the $20 $2,000,000 Bonus Scratch Multiplier ticket at a local gas station, then headed to the Lottery’s claim center to secure the massive prize.
According to the Michigan Lottery, the run of luck started with a $2 Blackjack ticket he scratched while pumping gas. That first ticket hit for $20, which he immediately cashed in and used to buy one $20 Bonus Scratch Multiplier ticket. "I scratched the ticket when I got in my car and went into shock when I saw how much I’d won," he told Lottery officials.
Winner Chooses One-Time Payout
Instead of taking the full annuity, the player opted for a one-time lump-sum payment of about $1.3 million. He told the Lottery he plans to put the windfall to work by buying a house, taking a vacation and saving the rest. As reported by ClickOnDetroit, he also chose to remain anonymous when he claimed the prize.
How The Game Stacks Up
The $2,000,000 Bonus Scratch Multiplier instant game launched earlier this year and has already shelled out millions in prizes, with several top-tier prizes still unclaimed, according to the Michigan Lottery. The game offers prize amounts starting at $20 and running all the way up to the $2 million top prize on a $20 ticket.
Where The Lucky Ticket Was Bought
The winning $20 ticket came from Clyde Park Fuel on Clyde Park Avenue Southwest in Grand Rapids, a detail included in the Lottery’s announcement and highlighted in local coverage. The retailer has not released any public statement about selling the jackpot ticket, according to WWJ/Audacy.
Quick, unplanned ticket buys at the gas pump show up again and again in Lottery winner stories, and the Michigan Lottery’s winner posts routinely spell out claim options while reminding players to double-check their tickets. For those who obsessively track games and odds, independent trackers currently slot the $2,000,000 Bonus Scratch Multiplier among the higher-priced $20 instant games on the Michigan market.
