Lottery signs and tickets are seen at a store on July 18, 2023.Photo:Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via GettyAn Illinois man won $25,000 a year for life after playing the lottery game Lucky For Life in Michigan, according to theMichigan Lottery.Michael Sopejstal, 60, scored big after the Sept. 17 winning ticket was announced. Sopejstal bought his winning ticket — which included the numbers 11, 15, 17, 24 and 48 — at the GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan.Sopejstal said a clerk’s mistake played a part in his big win.“I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here." Sopejstal told Michigan Lottery. “I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw, but I told him I still wanted it.”“I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life. I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option,” Sopejstal continued. “It was an amazing feeling!“Sopejstal recently went to the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. He opted to receive his winnings in one $390,000 lump sum instead of $25,000 a year over the course of 20 years (or life — whichever is the greater number), lottery officials said. He plans to travel and save the remainder of his winnings.Mega Millions lottery tickets in March 30, 2012.Kevork Djansezian/GettySopejstal explained that although he resides in Illinois, he goes to “Michigan every few weeks to eat at [his] favorite restaurant.”Lucky For Life tickets cost $2 for a chance to win a prizes ranging from $3 total to $1,000 a day for life.The players must match all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48 and a Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18 to win the game’s top prize. Those who manage to score a ticket that matches all five winning numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, will win $25,000 a year for life.The Lottery For Life drawings take place every day at 10:38 p.m. Sopejstal’s odds of winning his prize on Sept. 17 were 1 in more than 1.8 million, according to thegame’s website.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Lottery signs and tickets are seen at a store on July 18, 2023.Photo:Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty
Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty
An Illinois man won $25,000 a year for life after playing the lottery game Lucky For Life in Michigan, according to theMichigan Lottery.Michael Sopejstal, 60, scored big after the Sept. 17 winning ticket was announced. Sopejstal bought his winning ticket — which included the numbers 11, 15, 17, 24 and 48 — at the GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan.Sopejstal said a clerk’s mistake played a part in his big win.“I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here.” Sopejstal told Michigan Lottery. “I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw, but I told him I still wanted it.”“I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life. I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option,” Sopejstal continued. “It was an amazing feeling!“Sopejstal recently went to the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. He opted to receive his winnings in one $390,000 lump sum instead of $25,000 a year over the course of 20 years (or life — whichever is the greater number), lottery officials said. He plans to travel and save the remainder of his winnings.Mega Millions lottery tickets in March 30, 2012.Kevork Djansezian/GettySopejstal explained that although he resides in Illinois, he goes to “Michigan every few weeks to eat at [his] favorite restaurant.”Lucky For Life tickets cost $2 for a chance to win a prizes ranging from $3 total to $1,000 a day for life.The players must match all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48 and a Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18 to win the game’s top prize. Those who manage to score a ticket that matches all five winning numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, will win $25,000 a year for life.The Lottery For Life drawings take place every day at 10:38 p.m. Sopejstal’s odds of winning his prize on Sept. 17 were 1 in more than 1.8 million, according to thegame’s website.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
An Illinois man won $25,000 a year for life after playing the lottery game Lucky For Life in Michigan, according to theMichigan Lottery.
Michael Sopejstal, 60, scored big after the Sept. 17 winning ticket was announced. Sopejstal bought his winning ticket — which included the numbers 11, 15, 17, 24 and 48 — at the GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan.
Sopejstal said a clerk’s mistake played a part in his big win.
“I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here.” Sopejstal told Michigan Lottery. “I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw, but I told him I still wanted it.”
“I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life. I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option,” Sopejstal continued. “It was an amazing feeling!"
Sopejstal recently went to the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize. He opted to receive his winnings in one $390,000 lump sum instead of $25,000 a year over the course of 20 years (or life — whichever is the greater number), lottery officials said. He plans to travel and save the remainder of his winnings.
Mega Millions lottery tickets in March 30, 2012.Kevork Djansezian/Getty
Kevork Djansezian/Getty
Sopejstal explained that although he resides in Illinois, he goes to “Michigan every few weeks to eat at [his] favorite restaurant.”
Lucky For Life tickets cost $2 for a chance to win a prizes ranging from $3 total to $1,000 a day for life.
The players must match all five winning numbers ranging from 1 to 48 and a Lucky Ball ranging from 1 to 18 to win the game’s top prize. Those who manage to score a ticket that matches all five winning numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, will win $25,000 a year for life.
The Lottery For Life drawings take place every day at 10:38 p.m. Sopejstal’s odds of winning his prize on Sept. 17 were 1 in more than 1.8 million, according to thegame’s website.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
source: people.com
