'Jaw hit the floor': Michigan woman wakes up to a huge Lucky for Life prize!

You wake up in the middle of the night and find out you won $25,000 a year for life. Are you able to fall back asleep? We doubt anyone could!

A late-night surprise

A woman in Lenawee County woke up at 1:30 a.m. recently and had a hard time falling back asleep. Why? Because she checked her Lucky for Life ticket and found out she had won a $ 25,000-a-year for life prize!

Mary Edwards of Adrian won the big prize during the April 29 drawing for the Lucky for Life game. The five white balls drawn that night were 12, 14, 16, 25, and 46, and the Lucky Ball was 16. Edwards' lucky ticket matched the five white balls to win the $25,000 a year for life prize.

Edwards bought the winning ticket from Morning Fresh Bakeries, located at 3223 North Adrian Highway in Adrian.

'No way!'

Edwards told Lottery officials that she plays Lucky for Life here and there. She said:

The night of the drawing, I fell asleep early and then woke up at 1:30 a.m., so I decided to check my ticket.

Edwards continued:

...when I saw I'd matched the five white balls, I kept repeating to myself: “No way!

She needed some clarification, so she said she woke up her daughter and showed her the ticket and the winning numbers. Edwards said:

When she looked both over and realized what I'd won, her jaw hit the floor!

Needless to say, there wasn't much sleep going on that night in that household because of all the excitement. Edwards said:

I feel so grateful for this win!

Edwards, 69, recently made her way to the Michigan Lottery Headquarters to claim her prize. Rather than taking the annuity payments of $25,000 a year for 20 years or life, whichever is greater, she chose the one-time lump sum payment of $390,000. With the winnings, Edwards plans on finishing up some home improvements and then saving the rest.

2024 brings big Lucky for Life win in Michigan

This year, Michigan Lottery players have had some big wins in the Lucky for Life game. So far, in 2024, the state saw nine tickets that won a lifetime prize by playing the game. In addition to Edwards, the other big wins this year were:

• May 16 - Winning ticket purchased at the Shell gas station, located at 11541 East 15 Mile Road in Sterling Heights. Was recently claimed by a Sterling Heights woman.
• April 19 - Winning ticket purchased at Hub Sports Bistro, located at 16780 21 Mile Road in Macomb Township, and was recently claimed by a Macomb man.
• April 17 - Winning ticket purchased online at the Michigan Lottery website and was recently claimed by a woman in Detroit.
• March 26 - Winning ticket purchased at Merriman Drugs, located at 31320 5 Mile Road in Livonia.
• March 25 - Winning ticket purchased online at the Michigan Lottery website and was recently claimed by a Flushing man.
• March 23 - Winning ticket purchased at the Value Center Market, located at 27428 6 Mile Road in Livonia, and was recently claimed by a Redford Township woman.
• March 12 - Winning ticket purchased online at the Michigan Lottery website and was recently claimed by a woman in Escanaba.
• February 20 - Winning ticket purchased at Borders Corner Store, located at 7024 East Pickard Road in Mount Pleasant, and was recently claimed by a Flushing woman.

Enjoy playing the Michigan Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.