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76-year-old lottery player becomes millionaire in Michigan. ‘I was so happy’

A Michigan man won a huge jackpot and plans to retire.
A Michigan man won a huge jackpot and plans to retire. GETTY IMAGES

A 76-year-old man won a huge lottery jackpot in Michigan.

The St. Clair County man said he is looking forward to retiring after winning a $1.35 million jackpot playing the Diamond Wild Time Progressive Fast Cash game, according to a Nov. 3 news release from the Michigan Lottery.

The man bought the ticket, which ranges in price from $2 per play to $30 per play, at a store in Algonac.

“I saw the Fast Cash jackpot was over $1 million, so I bought a ticket,” the man told lottery officials.

The man said he needed confirmation of the win.

“I looked the ticket over when I got home and saw a match with ‘Jackpot’ underneath, but I had to scan the ticket on the Lottery app to double-check it. I was so happy and excited when the scanner confirmed my $1.35 million win,” he said.

The total jackpot was for $2.7 million, and the man won half of it, lottery officials said.

As of Nov. 3, the jackpot sits at $1.7 million.

Algonac is about a 50-mile drive northeast from Detroit.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 12:34 PM with the headline "76-year-old lottery player becomes millionaire in Michigan. ‘I was so happy’."

Jennifer Rodriguez
mcclatchy-newsroom
Jennifer Rodriguez is a McClatchy National Real-Time reporter covering the Central and Midwest regions. She joined McClatchy in 2023 after covering local news in Youngstown, Ohio, for over six years. Jennifer has made several achievements in her journalism career, including receiving the Robert R. Hare Award in English, the Emerging Leader Justice and Equality Award, the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and the Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan Award.
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