75-year-old Michigan man lands $1 million jackpot on scratch-off ticket

LANSING, MI -- A Montcalm County man says he's still in shock after he won a $1 million jackpot playing the Michigan Lottery's King Cashword instant game. 'King Cashword is my favorite game,' said the 75-year-old winner, who chose to remain anonymous. 'When I scratched this ticket, I thought I won $5,000 and I was thrilled! I looked at the ticket a few more times, which is when I realized I missed the 'L' in the call letter box and actually won $1 million. 'I was in disbelief, so I drove over an hour to the Lottery office in Grand Rapids so I could have them check the ticket and confirm that it really was a $1 million winner. I'm still shaky and in shock at the thought of winning this much money!' The player bought his ticket at the Maple Valley Market, located at 106 West 2nd Street in Trufant, roughly 35 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. He visited Lottery headquarters in Lansing recently to claim his prize. He elected to receive the money as a one-time lump sum of $693,000 rather than the annuity. With his winnings, he plans on donating, helping others and starting a trust fund for his children. For the latest on Michigan Lottery, check out the official Michigan Lottery site, which also offers more information on instant tickets, raffles and other lottery games. The last players from Michigan to win a Mega Millions or Powerball jackpot was the Breakfast Club lottery club which claimed an $842 million jackpot in June 2024. The members planned to use the money to buy a home in Florida and travel. While they were lucky winners, it's smart for players to check their tickets immediately. A KENO! ticket worth $250,000 sold in Belleville in 2025 went unclaimed. That money went to the state's School Aid Fund.