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Lottery player gets phone call about Michigan jackpot win. ‘I thought it was a scam’

A Michigan man said he thought his jackpot lottery win was a scam.
A Michigan man said he thought his jackpot lottery win was a scam. Getty Images/iStockphoto

A Michigan man thought he was being scammed when he received a call about his big win, lottery officials said.

“When I got a call from the Lottery and was told I won $287,648, I thought it was a scam,” the winner told officials, according to a Feb. 7 news release from Michigan Lottery Connect.

“After calling a few times to verify the prize, it finally hit me that it was real!” the Oakland County man said.

The 40-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous, won a BIG CA$H Second Chance jackpot in a Dec. 13 random drawing.

“I knew I was earning entries into a giveaway by playing certain online games, but I never believed I would actually win,” the man said.

He also received an email from Michigan lottery officials, but he said he assumed he “won a few dollars,” according to lottery officials.

He plans to use his winnings to take a trip and contribute to his child’s college fund, officials said.

“It is going to make planning for the future a lot easier,” the winner said.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published February 7, 2024 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Lottery player gets phone call about Michigan jackpot win. ‘I thought it was a scam’."

Lauren Liebhaber
mcclatchy-newsroom
Lauren Liebhaber covers international science news with a focus on taxonomy and archaeology at McClatchy. She holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Previously, she worked as a data journalist at Stacker.
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