Muskegon County man wins $300,000 in Michigan Lottery instant game

A West Michigan man said he can now live comfortably after winning $300,000 on his Michigan Lottery scratch-off ticket.

The 64-year-old Muskegon County player, who wished to remain anonymous, won the prize by playing the Michigan Lottery’s Fire & Ice Cashword instant game, the Michigan Lottery Commission said in a news release Monday. He purchased the winning ticket at the Northshore EZ Mart at 1385 Holton Road in North Muskegon.

“I play the Cashword games a lot,” the man said in the press release. “When I scratched off this ticket, I thought I had won $100, but I scanned it to make sure. When a message appeared telling me to claim at the lottery office, I thought, ‘What’s going on? It’s only a $100 winner.’ I gave the clerk my ticket and a few moments later she said, ‘You won the jackpot.'”

“Later that day, I gave the ticket to my son and said, ‘Look at this,'” he continued. “He scanned it with his lottery app and was stunned when $300,000 appeared on the screen. It was so exciting to share the news with my family!”

According to the press release, he recently visited the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his winnings. He plans to use his winnings to pay off his truck, pay bills and save.

“Winning $300,000 still feels unreal!” he said. “This prize will allow me to live comfortably.”

Players have won over $20 million on Fire & Ice Cashword, which launched in August 2023. Each $5 ticket offers players the chance to win prizes ranging from $5 to $300,000. There are over $13 million worth of prizes still up for grabs, including four $10,000 prizes and 28 $2,000 prizes.

According to the press release, lottery players won nearly $1.8 billion last year playing instant lotteries. The games can be purchased at any of the 10,500 lottery retailers across the state.

Michigan offers a toll-free, 24-hour gambling addiction hotline at 1-800-270-7117. For additional resources, visit Michigan.gov/mgcb.

The National Council on Problem Gambling operates the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-GAMBLER.

The Network is a national access point to local resources for people seeking help with a gambling problem. The Network has 28 contact centers that provide resources and referrals for all 50 states and U.S. territories. Help is available 24/7 and is 100% confidential.

Help is also available through an online peer support forum at GamTalk.org.