National

Man calls lottery office 10 times to confirm win — but he has to wait days for big news

A Michigan man learned of his lottery win through email but had to wait through the weekend to confirm his $100,000 win.
A Michigan man learned of his lottery win through email but had to wait through the weekend to confirm his $100,000 win. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A Michigan man checked his email ahead of the weekend and learned he had won the lottery, but he wanted to be sure it was real.

The 51-year-old from Ionia County decided to call the Michigan lottery office, but no one picked up. Since it was the weekend, he would need to wait until Monday to learn if his $100,000 win was real or not.

“I bet I called 10 times during the weekend hoping I might get lucky and someone would be working overtime and answer the phone!” he told officials.

The man’s win came from a random drawing April 4, officials said. Players can earn entries by scanning non-winning Michigan lottery tickets on the app.

“I’ve been scanning my non-winning tickets to earn entries into the second chance drawing,” he told officials.

The winner said he plans to pay his bills and buy tools with his winnings and save the rest.

Ionia County is about a 130-mile drive northwest from Detroit.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2024 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Man calls lottery office 10 times to confirm win — but he has to wait days for big news."

Kate Linderman
mcclatchy-newsroom
Kate Linderman covers national news for McClatchy’s real-time team. She reports on politics and crime and courts news in the Midwest. Kate is a 2023 graduate of DePaul University and is based in Chicago.
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