St. CLAIR COUNTY, Mich. – A St. Clair County man says he’s going on a European cruise after winning a $1 million Mega Millions prize.
Ernest Rust, 66, matched the five white balls in the Jan. 7 drawing to win the prize: 20-24-33-39-48.
He purchased his ticket at the Shell gas station at 37820 Green Street in New Baltimore, according to Michigan Lottery officials.
“I usually play Lottery games a couple of times a week,” said Rust. “Early last month, I decided to play Mega Millions and bought an easy pick ticket. After the drawing, I checked my ticket on the Lottery app and thought: ‘Am I looking at this wrong?’ After I convinced myself that I was looking at the screen correctly, I told my wife, and it took her a little while to believe that I was telling the truth.”
He plans to go on a European river cruise with his prize money and then put the rest toward his retirement.
“Every time I buy a ticket, I imagine winning big, but I never thought I would actually be one of the people you read about,” Rust said. “To be sitting here claiming $1 million is just staggering.”
Each Mega Millions play is $2 and drawings take place on Tuesday and Friday evenings.
