Illinois Man Wins Big in Michigan Lottery
Michael Sopejstal, a resident of Illinois, recently made a trip to Michigan that turned out to be life-changing. Sopejstal, who regularly visits Michigan to dine at his favorite restaurant, also makes sure to purchase a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws each time he visits, according to the Michigan Lottery.
On a fateful visit to a GoLo gas station on September 17, a mistake was made by the retailer, who accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for a single draw. Despite the error, Sopejstal decided to go ahead and purchase the ticket.
To his surprise, he discovered that he had won $25,000 a year for life. “It was an amazing feeling! 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 said.
The 60-year-old recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim his prize and opted for the one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of the annual payments for life. Sopejstal plans to use his prize money for travel and saving.
The Lucky for Life game is played in about two dozen states as well as in Washington, D.C., with prizes ranging from $3 to a top prize of $1,000 a day for life. The overall odds of winning for each game are posted on the game’s website, with Sopejstal’s odds of winning five white balls on September 17 at 1 in more than 1.8 million.
Sopejstal’s unexpected win serves as a reminder of the life-changing potential of the lottery, and he now joins the ranks of fortunate winners who have taken home substantial prizes through the Michigan Lottery.