33-year-old Michigan woman started screaming after winning $2 million prize, lottery officials say
(CBS DETROIT) - A 33-year-old Michigan woman started screaming when she learned she had won $2 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket.
The lucky player, a Kalamazoo resident who decided to stay anonymous, purchased her Colossal Cashword ticket at Hoffman's Corner Store at 5905 South Westnedge Ave. in Portage.
"Colossal Cashword has been my favorite game since it came out," said the player. "I scratched the barcode right when I bought the ticket and gave it to the clerk to scan it. He handed it back with a slip that said to file a claim at the Lottery office and said: 'You must have won big; you have to go to the Lottery office!'
After that, the player said when she went home to scratch the ticket.
"I went home and scratched the ticket, and when I revealed the tenth word and saw it was a prize of $2 million, I started screaming! Winning feels good and came at the perfect time."
Michigan Lottery officials say Colossal Cashword and other instant games are popular among players.
"In the last fiscal year, instant games accounted for $2.3 billion of Lottery's sales, leading to a sixth straight contribution of more than $1 billion to the School Aid Fund.
The player chose to receive her winnings as a one-time lump sum of about $1.3 million.
She plans to pay bills and then save the rest of the prize money for her kids.
Each $30 Colossal Cashword ticket gives players the chance to win prizes that range from $30 to $2 million.