A Michigan man finally claimed his $500,000 lottery prize nearly a year after receiving the winning ticket as a Christmas present during his family's annual holiday gathering.
The 68-year-old Macomb County man won the top prize playing the Michigan Lottery's 25 Days of Winning
instant game after receiving the lucky ticket during his family's Christmas get-together, according to a Nov. 6 news release from Michigan Lottery Connect.The man's family has a tradition of buying lottery tickets for everyone to scratch during their Christmas celebration. Last year, his son handed out the tickets, so each family member could choose one before they began checking them for prizes.
At first, the man thought he had won just $500. That changed when a family
member scanned his ticket using the Michigan Lottery app and revealed the actual prize.
"I couldn't believe it when they told me it was a $500,000 winner!" the man told lottery officials.
Man holds onto winning lottery ticket for nearly a year
The Macomb County resident recently visited Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his $500,000 prize, nearly a year after discovering the winning ticket.
Michigan Lottery officials said the winning $10 ticket was purchased at M & H Petro LLC, located at 16851 15 Mile Road in Clinton Township.
The man, who chose to remain anonymous, said he plans to save the winnings and use the money as a financial cushion.
What to know about Michigan Lottery's 25 Days of Winning game
The 25 Days of Winning instant game launched in November 2025. Each $10 ticket offered players a chance to win prizes ranging from $10 to $500,000.
According to Michigan Lottery, players won more than $18 million playing the game.
In 2025, lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games across the state.
Michigan Lottery instant games are available for purchase at local retailers.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man claims $500K Christmas lottery miracle nearly a year later
