Macomb Man Claims $500,000 Lottery Prize

A 68-year-old Clinton Township-area player waited nearly a year after realizing he had won a Michigan Lottery scratch-off jackpot.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Gambling

Macomb Man Claims $500,000 Lottery Prize

A 68-year-old Macomb County man claimed a $500,000 Michigan Lottery prize from a scratch-off ticket in the 25 Days of Winning instant game. He realized he had won nearly one year before claiming it, after a family member scanned the ticket using the Lottery app.

Why it matters

The case highlights that scratch-off winners can check tickets through the Michigan Lottery app and that prizes can remain claimable after a delay. It also shows how a winner plans to use a large prize for financial security.

The prize was claimed through the Michigan Lottery's official claim process for the 25 Days of Winning instant game. The source does not report total ticket sales or the number of remaining top prizes in that game.

The players

Michigan Lottery

The state agency that operates the lottery, including the 25 Days of Winning instant game and the Lottery app used to check tickets.

The details

The winner scratched tickets with family members during a family Christmas party, and a family member later scanned the ticket with the Lottery app, revealing the $500,000 amount. The winner, who asked to remain anonymous, plans to save the winnings as a financial cushion.

Christmas, one year before the claim: the family party where the winning ticket was scratched.
Nearly one year later: the winner claimed the $500,000 prize.

Industry Dynamics

Michigan's state lottery instant games are a major source of gambling activity, and the 25 Days of Winning game follows the same scratch-off model used across state lotteries. Prize claims like this one show how these games operate beyond their initial sales.

Players can check scratch-off tickets through the Michigan Lottery app, which revealed this prize. Winners of large instant-game prizes must claim them through the Lottery, and this winner's delayed claim shows the process is available well after the ticket was scratched.

The takeaway

Check your scratch-off tickets with the official Michigan Lottery app, since prizes can be missed for months. Keep winning tickets safe and claim them through the Lottery to receive the full prize.