A 27-year-old Mackinac County man says he "cried like a baby" after turning a routine road-trip ritual into a life-changing score, scratching a Michigan Lottery Two Million Dollar Cashword ticket and uncovering the $2 million top prize. He picked up the $30 ticket during a stop in Sault Sainte Marie, then later headed to Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim. He chose a one-time lump-sum payment of about $1.3 million and told reporters he is planning a trip to Hawaii and will invest the rest.
Road-trip ritual hits big in Sault Ste. Marie
According to ClickOnDetroit, the winner, who asked to remain anonymous, said he always buys a Two Million Dollar Cashword ticket before long drives. He told reporters he scratched the latest one in the car and initially thought he had revealed nine words, good for a $10,000 prize. A few minutes later, he spotted a tenth word and realized he was holding the $2 million top-prize ticket. The winning slip came from the Meijer Express gas station at 1106 West 3 Mile Road in Sault Sainte Marie, as listed on MapQuest.
Claiming the cash and staying anonymous
The player went to Michigan Lottery headquarters to finalize the claim and chose the single lump-sum payout of roughly $1.3 million instead of annuity payments, the Daily Press reports. He told Lottery staff he plans to use part of the windfall on a vacation to Hawaii and will invest the remainder. Under Michigan rules that allow privacy for in-state prizes over $10,000, the winner opted to keep his name out of the headlines.
Odds, prizes and what is left in the game
Two Million Dollar Cashword, a $30 scratch-off that launched earlier this year, carries overall odds of winning any prize of about 1 in 3.44, while the $2 million top prize is far tougher to hit, according to ScratchOdds. Regional coverage and Lottery listings show players have already claimed more than $27 million in prizes on the game, and that tens of millions in prizes are still in circulation across Michigan, figures highlighted by Michigan's Thumb.
Lottery money and where it goes
The Michigan Lottery returns roughly 97 cents of every dollar spent to the state in the form of prizes, retailer commissions, and contributions to the School Aid Fund. In fiscal 2025, those School Aid Fund contributions topped $1.1 billion, according to Lottery data cited by 9&10 News. Even a single lucky ticket at a gas station in Sault Sainte Marie feeds into that broader pipeline of school funding and prize money.
The Lottery also promotes resources for anyone struggling with gambling. The 24-hour problem-gambling helpline is 1-800-270-7117, a number noted by the Daily Press. As for the newest Yooper millionaire, the winner, who requested anonymity, told reporters the whole experience "still feels like a dream," a moment captured in ClickOnDetroit's account of his claim.
