News writer
A lucky Michigan Lottery player has won $25,000 a year for life by playing Lucky for Life.
The Flushing resident stopped by her local Borders Corner Store, located at 7024 East Pickard Road in Mount Pleasant, to purchase a Lucky for Life ticket. What she didn't realize was that she was already carrying a winning ticket in her purse.
Dina Russell recently claimed her winnings after she won the jackpot Lucky for Life prize by matching five white balls in the drawing on February 20, 2024. The winning numbers were 5, 7, 13, 37, and 39.
In an interview with the Michigan Lottery, she said:
I play Lucky for Life regularly. I pulled up to the gas station to purchase a ticket, but before going in, I checked the Lucky for Life ticket I had in my purse by scanning it on the MI Lottery app. When $25,000 a year for life came up on the screen, I was thrilled.
As soon as she found out she had won, Dina took a screenshot of her winning ticket and sent it to her husband. He replied immediately, telling her to come home straight away so that they could put the ticket in a safe place.
Dina recently traveled to the Michigan Lottery Headquarters to claim her prize. She opted to receive her winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of the annuity payments of $25,000 a year for 20 years or life, whichever is greater. She plans to use her winnings to buy a car, share with her children, and save for retirement.
How to play Lucky for Life
Lucky for Life is a $2 lottery draw game that gives players an opportunity to win prizes ranging from $3 to a top prize of $1,000 a Day for Life. To play, you must pick five numbers between 1 and 48 and one Lucky Ball from between 1 and 18. Alternatively, you can check Easy Pick on your play slip to have your numbers chosen randomly by the computer.
You can play up to 10 separate games on each play slip. You can also play in as many as 30 consecutive drawings with your pre-selected numbers by marking the number of games you wish to play in the multiple-draw wagers area of your play slip. Once you've completed your play slip, give it to your lottery retailer to have it printed. Lucky for Life is drawn on Thursdays and Sundays at 10:38 p.m.
Here's the prize range for this game:
| Matches | Prize |
|---|---|
| 5 White Balls + Lucky Ball | $1,000 / Day for Life |
| 5 White Balls | $25,000 / Year for Life |
| 4 White Balls + Lucky Ball | $5,000 |
| 4 White Balls | $200 |
| 3 White Balls + Lucky Ball | $150 |
| 3 White Balls | $20 |
| 2 White Balls + Lucky Ball | $25 |
| 2 White Balls | $3 |
| 1 White Ball + Lucky Ball | $6 |
| Lucky Ball | $4 |
