A lucky lottery player won $4 million after purchasing her ticket at a grocery store, but a spur of the moment decision meant she only pocketed less than half that amount.
The player wished to remain anonymous after receiving the good news, but spoke about her reaction to the winning ticket, believing it was a sign from her late father.
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The player purchased the winning ticket at a Royal Liquor Food Market in Jackson County, Michigan – just over an hour’s drive from Detroit.
“Before my dad died, he always bought me scratch cards, so I just think this is a gift from him!” the 48-year-old woman told Michigan Lottery Connect.
“I buy random scratch cards every few months,” she explained.
“I usually buy tickets for $1 or $2, but while I was at the store, I decided to try my luck at the World Class Millions game.
“When I got home, I scratched it off and when I saw that I had won $4 million, I showed it to my mom and said, ‘Am I reading this right?!'”
The amount of $4 million was the top prize of the World Class Millions instant game.
The anonymous player won this amazing prize earlier this week.
After hearing the good news, she went to the lottery headquarters to collect her winnings.
However, due to a hasty decision, the lucky winner lost $1.3 million of the prize money.
The player decided to accept her prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $2.7 million.
The other option – which she rejected – was to receive the full amount in the form of a pension.
The winner reportedly plans to donate part of her winnings to charity and put the rest into a savings account.
“I plan to continue working and when the time comes, I will use my winnings as a financial cushion for retirement,” she said.
HOW TO PLAY
World Class Millions is a relatively new addition to the US lottery.
It was only launched in June 2023 and since then players have won more than $73 million.
The price of the tickets is $30 – certainly more than other lotteries.
Lottery win: lump sum or pension?
Players who win big in the lottery are usually faced with a decision: lump sum payment or pension?
The two withdrawal methods can affect how much money you receive from your winnings.
Pensions are paid out slowly and in installments, often over 30 years.
With lump sums, everything is paid out at once, but in a smaller amount because taxes are withheld all at once. This means that 24% of your winnings go to Uncle Sam immediately. Many states also tax winnings.
Annuities can give winners time to build the financial infrastructure needed to receive a life-changing sum of money, but lump sums have the advantage of being taxed only once.
Inflation should also be considered when making decisions, as payouts do not adjust to the value of a dollar. This means you are likely to receive less valuable money toward the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payout policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have differing opinions on the question of whether one should opt for a lump sum payment or a pension.
Players have the chance to win between $30 and $40 million.
Apparently there are still prizes worth over $91 million to be won.
These include two of the $4 million grand prizes, 13 of the $15,000 prizes, and 131 of the $5,000 prizes.
It appears that World Class Millions can only be played in Michigan.
Tickets for the game can be purchased at retailers nationwide.
The odds of winning the $4 million grand prize are reportedly 1 in 3.41.
The biggest lottery winners in the USA
Millions dream of winning the lottery and achieving fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity secret – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Alvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Unknown winner – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.
BIG WINNINGS
This woman is not the only person who has won a handsome sum recently.
A player from Delaware won $4 million in a Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday.
You matched five of the winning numbers, but not the golden Mega Ball.
If he had also had the Mega Ball number, the player would have pocketed a whopping sum of $498 million.
No one won this jackpot on Tuesday, which means it was rolled over to Friday’s drawing.
The jackpot is now worth $527 million.
Another lucky payer in Massachusetts won $1 million after purchasing a $10 scratch-off ticket.
The woman had originally gone to the store to buy a bag of Doritos for her daughter when she decided to take the scratch card with her as well.
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