Woman buys family lottery tickets, saves one for herself. It leaves her in ‘disbelief’

A Michigan woman gifted her relatives lottery tickets for Christmas, hoping one of them would be the “big” one.

But it was hers — the one she kept for herself — that left her stunned, lottery officials said.

The 66-year-old kept a Major Cashword instant ticket she purchased at a store in Westphalia, then scratched it off on Christmas, the Michigan Lottery said in a Jan. 27 news release.

She initially thought she won $1,000, but she didn’t count all of the words in the crossword-style ticket.

Her prize was much more grand.

“I scanned it on my lottery app and was in complete and total disbelief when $1 million came up on the screen!” she told lottery officials. “I showed my husband and kids what I’d won and then immediately locked the ticket in the safe.”

Hers was one of three $1 million prizes in the game, which costs $20 to play.

She chose the one-time lump sum payment of $634,000, telling lottery officials she plans to use her money for traveling and saving.

“I give lottery tickets as gifts every year, and my dad has always said that one of these years someone is going to win big,” she said. “I can’t believe it was me! I’m still in shock.”

Westphalia is about a 115-mile drive northwest from Detroit.

This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 1:37 PM with the headline "Woman buys family lottery tickets, saves one for herself. It leaves her in ‘disbelief’."