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A Michigan woman took a chance on a Fantasy 5 lottery ticket during a camping trip. She wound up winning a $792,900 jackpot.
The big win
The 67-year-old anonymous woman went to a store on Maijer Drive in Gaylord, Northern Michigan, and purchased a Fantasy 5 ticket. She picked the numbers 08-19-27-31-39 for the July 3 drawing, according to the Michigan Lottery. Then, she proceeded on a camping trip.
The next morning, she awoke to find that she'd won the $792,900 jackpot.
“I went up north on a camping trip for Fourth of July weekend and bought a Fantasy 5 ticket while I was at the store. The next morning, on the Fourth of July, I checked the winning numbers," said the player, "and was so excited when I found out I won the big jackpot! I told some of the people at the surrounding campsites, so it was fun to celebrate with everyone.”
The winner went to the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim her win. In Michigan, any player who wins more than $10,000 can remain anonymous. Winners below the threshold must reveal their identity.
The player told Michigan Lottery that she plans to use the winnings to ooen college funds for her grandchildren, to fix her house, and to take the family to Disney.
About Fantasy 5 in Michigan
To play Fantasy 5, players must choose five numbers from 1 to 39. Each ticket is $1, and an additional $1 gives players the chance to win up to $500 instantly through the EZMatch feature. For another $1, players can add Double Play, which is a separate nightly drawing with a prize of up to $110,000. The Fantasy 5 drawing takes place every night at 7:29 p.m., with the jackpot starting at $100,000.
Before the winner took home $792,900 for the July 3 drawing, the Fantasy 5 jackpot had rolled over every night since June 18, when an internet-based winner won $110,000. The highest Fantasy 5 jackpot was won exactly one year ago, at $963,040.
The odds of winning any prize in Fantasy 5 are 1 in 9, with the lowest prize being $1. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 575,757. The jackpots are all paid in one lump sum with no available annuity option. Tickets are available online or through an in-person retailer.
About Michigan Lottery
All proceeds of the Michigan lottery go toward companies that employ state residents, K-12 education, and local businesses. In 2024, the Michigan Lottery contributed more than $1.2 billion to the Michigan School Aid Fund. Retail businesses receive commissions on sales and wins.
Michigan is one of the higher-ranking lottery-obsessed states, with $4.8 billion spent on tickets in 2024, according to Statista. It ranks ninth in lottery sales, behind states like New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Their iLottery features 446 games, including Fantasy 5.
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