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Michigan man wins $25,000 a year for life on lottery ticket he bought with spare change

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(CBS DETROIT) — Using some spare change left over from grocery shopping, a 69-year-old Wayne County man won $25,000 a year for life playing the Michigan Lottery's Lucky For Life game.

James Daniel, of Redford, matched the five white balls in the Lucky For Life drawing on Dec. 13, 2024: 03-15-32-34-37. 

Daniel bought the winning ticket at Jerry's Party Store, located at 28940 Warren Road in Westland.

"I had some change left over after buying some groceries, so I decided to buy some Lucky For Life tickets," said Daniel in a news release. "I checked my numbers that night, and my eyes about popped out of my head when I got to the third line and saw I had matched five numbers!

"I asked my wife and son to look at my ticket to be sure I was seeing it right. This is the largest prize I have ever won, and it is just unbelievable!"

Instead of taking $25,000 a year for life, Daniel chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000. He plans to invest his winnings. 

Lucky For Life tickets are $2 per play and allow players the chance to win prizes ranging from $3 to cash for life. Players can win $1,000 a day for life by matching all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48 and one Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18. Players can win $25,000 a year for life by matching all five winning numbers but not the Lucky Ball. 

Drawings take place seven days a week at 10:38 p.m.

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