A 70-year-old St. Clair County woman tried to dodge road construction in Port Huron and ended up driving straight into a $1 million Michigan Lottery win. Thanks to that lucky detour, she is now planning to buy a new house and a new car.
According to ClickOnDetroit, the winning King Cashword instant ticket came from the Speedy Q Markets at 2020 Water Street in Port Huron. The outlet reports that she chose to stay anonymous and later headed to Michigan Lottery headquarters to officially claim her prize.
How King Cashword pays out
The King Cashword instant game is a $20 scratch-off that offers a $1 million top prize. Michigan Lottery posts and winner notices show that many players who hit big opt for a one-time lump-sum cash payment instead of yearly installments. For a $1 million King Cashword win, that lump-sum option is roughly $693,000, according to Michigan Lottery.
Her reaction
"He told me to sit down because he thought I was going to have a heart attack," the woman said after scratching the ticket, as reported by ClickOnDetroit. She scanned the ticket at the store to make sure it was legitimate before making the trip to finalize her claim.
Big wins keep turning up across Michigan
The Port Huron payday is the latest in a streak of seven- and six-figure Michigan Lottery wins this year. Earlier in 2026, a Macomb County man also snagged a $1 million prize on a King Cashword ticket. The recent wave of big instant-game wins has kept attention on scratch-offs and on how winners choose to collect their money.
Claiming big prizes
The Michigan Lottery advises that prizes of $100,000 or more must be claimed at Lottery headquarters in Lansing, while regional claim centers handle mid-range prize amounts. Winners must present identification and complete tax paperwork when claiming large prizes, according to the Lottery's claim guidance. The Lottery also recommends that winners contact Player Relations and talk with financial and tax advisers before deciding on a payout option, per Michigan Lottery.
