Michigan Lottery Winners
Michigan Lottery players have claimed some spectacular payouts over the years, with the state-record win worth more than a billion dollars!
You can find out about all the biggest winners from the Great Lake State below, plus the top wins in Michigan-only games such as Lotto 47 and Fantasy 5.
Mega Millions
$1.05 Billion
The largest prize ever won in Michigan came in the middle of winter after a four-member lottery club from Oakland County saw a sign for a Mega Millions jackpot worth $1 billion. The group – known as the Wolverine FLL Club – had not played together regularly, but the remarkable prize value convinced them to buy a ticket and they were rewarded in style. They said they would use the money to set up their families for generations to come, while they would also make charitable donations.
$208 Million
Ralph and Mary Stebbins from Port Huron snapped up this big jackpot with a ticket they had purchased from the local River District Supermarket. They decided to take the lump-sum payment of $124.7 million rather than the annuity, and had some unusual plans for the money. Among the items on their wish list, they wanted to buy a farm, complete with a ‘show cow’, and Ralph also wanted a garage to house a 1963 corvette.
$181 Million
Larry Ross, a swimming pool installer from Shelby Township, bought a hot dog from Mr K’s party store and paid with a $100 bill. He asked for 98 lottery tickets instead of getting change and ended up winning half of a $363 million jackpot. Ross took the money as a $90 million lump sum and said his dream was to retire, get a new car, new home and maybe a boat.
Powerball
$842 Million
A couple from mid-Michigan pocketed the biggest Powerball jackpot ever won in the state, claiming it as The Breakfast Club alongside lawyer Mark Harder. The attorney said the couple had ‘gone from shock and sleepless nights to giving careful thought as to how this once-in-a-lifetime event will transform their lives’. They had bought the winning ticket at Grand Blanc’s Food Castle and opted to take the cash payment of $425 million.
$337 Million
Donald Lawson, a self-confessed ‘hillbilly’ from Lapeer, could not be bothered to wait in line for a lottery ticket when he was at a Sunoco gas station, so he stepped away to pick his own numbers. Lawson ended up being rewarded with a $337 million payout and immediately called his boss to tell him he was quitting. Lawson decided to go for the lump sum of £224 million rather than the annuity.
$310 Million
A ‘really bad night at work’ turned into one of the most memorable evenings of Julie Leach’s life when she checked her ticket during a break and found that she had matched all the numbers. The Three Rivers resident had spent $20 on tickets on her way to her late shift at a fiberglass factory and was delighted to be able to give up the job. She took the cash option of $197 million.
Lucky for Life
$1,000 A Day For Life
Michigan has been the home of several big wins in Lucky for Life, including Roderick Slaughter from Detroit. He usually played Lotto 47, but on this occasion he decided to buy a Lucky for Life ticket and he was amazed to discover he had won the top prize of $1,000 a day for life, even waking his wife up to ask her ‘Is this real?’ He had played online and planned to use the money to retire early, travel more, and establish a legacy fund for his grandchildren’s education.
Lotto 47
$32.2 Million
Lotto 47 jackpots might not hit the same heights as multi-state games, but they can still be life-changing and the odds of winning are far better. The biggest Lotto 47 jackpot in history was worth $32.2 million and it was won on November 7, 2020. The money was split between two ticket holders - one from Ferndale and one from Lake Odessa. Both winners opted to remain anonymous.
Fantasy 5
$963,040
With draws every day, the Fantasy 5 jackpot can quickly climb from its starting value of $100,000. The biggest win came on June 26, 2024 and went to a Macomb County man who had bought his ticket at Smokers Express, 51124 D W Seaton Dr, New Baltimore. He won $963,040 and decided to stay anonymous, although he did say he would buy a new car, new home and a cottage.