A Michigan man finally struck it rich after playing the same lottery numbers for 20 years, winning a record-breaking $32.91 million last month in the state's Lotto 47 jackpot.
The 73-year-old winner, who chose to remain anonymous, bought his ticket at Wild Bill's Tobacco on Gratiot Avenue in Chesterfield, just outside of Detroit. Playing his usual combination—02, 03, 12, 15, 16, and 33—he matched all six of the lottery game's numbers in the Dec. 13 drawing.
The man said in a Jan. 9 statement that he initially thought he'd only won a small prize.
Still in shock, he immediately called his children to share the good news.
"They didn’t believe me and had to come see the ticket for themselves," the man recalled. "We were so excited! You never expect to win a prize like this, so it still hasn’t fully sunk in."
Instead of taking annuity payments for the full amount, the Macomb County man opted for a one-time lump sum, which totaled roughly $22.8 million.
He said he planned to make a few purchases for himself, but would also make sure his family shared in the winnings.
"Honestly, the first thing on my list is just treating myself to a new pair of shoes," he said. "I also plan to share some of my winnings with my family and get a new car."
The Michigan Lottery said the Dec. 13 jackpot was the largest Lotto 47 grand prize ever won in the game's history.
Before that, the record for the largest Lotto 47 mega prize was $23.6 million, which was won by a Macomb County resident in March 2008.
The Michigan Lottery launched the Classic Lotto 47 in 2005. Drawings for the lottery—which starts at $1 million and climbs until a winner scores the jackpot—are held every Wednesday and Saturday. To play the game, players must choose six numbers from one to 47 for each $1 ticket purchased.