GENESEE COUNTY, Mich. – A Michigan man couldn’t stop pacing his house after learning he won $25,000 a year for life from the Michigan Lottery.
Carl Cooper, a 67-year-old from Clio, brought the winning ticket at Ernie’s Beer & Wine at 13167 North Saginaw Road in Clio. The ticket matched the five white balls drawn on Sept. 23.
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“I started playing Lucky For Life a few years ago and every time I play, I use this set of numbers,” said Cooper. “I checked my ticket the morning after the drawing and was excited after matching the first three numbers. When I matched two more, I thought maybe I won $5,000. When I looked at the prize table and saw it was a prize of $25,000 a year for life, I started pacing the house and couldn’t stop! I turned on the news to try and calm down, and as soon as it came on, they were talking about the big Lucky For Life winning ticket that was sold in Clio and I yelled, ‘Hey, that’s me!’ Winning a prize like this is a surreal experience.”
Winners have a choice of taking the $25,000 a year for life or the lump sum payment.
Cooper chose to have his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000. He plans to buy a new snow blower and save the rest.