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Metro Detroit man wins $100K Michigan Lottery prize

CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for Dec. 27, 2023
CBS News Detroit Digital Brief for Dec. 27, 2023 04:00

(CBS DETROIT) - A Metro Detroit man is looking forward to celebrating after he found out he won a $100,000 500X Money Maker prize just a few days before his birthday.

Safa Behnam, 45, of Sterling Heights, won after being selected in a random drawing on Nov. 30. 

He was entered into the giveaway because he scanned non-winning 500x Money Maker tickets on the Michigan Lottery app. 

"I have been playing the 500X Money Maker game a lot, hoping to win one of the big $6 million prizes, and then scanning the non-winner for a second chance," said the player. "I saw an email from the Lottery saying I'd won a $100,000 prize, but I thought it was a scam. I called the Lottery office to confirm it was just a scam email, so when they told me it was real, I was shocked. My birthday is in a few days, so winning is a pretty great early birthday gift!" 

He said he plans to take his family on a vacation to Mexico with his winnings and then save the rest. 

Players can get a second chance to win a prize from the Michigan Lottery with every 500X Money Maker ticket. The next drawing is set for Jan. 18. 

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