Man wins $4 million from instant game he didn't originally want to play

A lucky man from Michigan ended up winning $4 million on a lottery ticket that he initially didn't want. The lucky win happened after he discovered the store had run out of the game he originally planned to buy. It turned out to be a fortunate twist of fate that brought him great success.

An anonymous 54-year-old man won the $4 million at a Citgo gas station on Plainfield Avenue Northeast in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The lucky Michigan Lottery player intended to buy a $50 scratch-off ticket from Citgo since he previously won $50 from a different instant game. 

"I wanted to reinvest my winnings, but they were all sold out," the 54-year-old told the Michigan Lottery.

He bought the next best option, a $30 scratch-off ticket called "Millionaire's Club," which he never played before. 

"When I scratched the ticket and saw I'd won $4 million, the first thing I did was call my brother," the winner shared. "He told me to make sure it wasn't one of those prank lottery tickets, so I flipped it over and read through the fine print on the back. Once I confirmed it indeed was not a prank, I called the Lottery to have them confirm the prize as well."

The 54-year-old man visited Michigan lottery headquarters in Lansing Friday to claim his $4 million prize.

"Winning still feels unreal, but I think it's really going to sink in once I cash my check."

More instant winners:Virginia man wins $500,000 from scratch-off game: 'I don't usually jump up and down'

What is Millionaire's Club?

The Millionaire's Club is an instant game that first launched in Michigan in February 2023.

What are the odds of Millionaire's Club?

The chances of winning a prize in "Millionaire's Club" are 1 in 3.21. As of now, there are two $4 million top prizes that are still available to be claimed. Additionally, there are 16 out of 22 second-tier prizes of $10,000, and 203 out of 331 third-tier prizes of $2,000 that are still up for grabs.

Biggest instant game jackpot winner in US

In 2022, A Michigan resident won the largest prize ever from a scratch-off ticket, taking home $6 million from Michigan Lottery's $300,000,000 Diamond Riches game.

A Virginia man won the largest online instant game when he won $1,817,588 playing "Jackpot Spectacular."