What a Macomb County man thought was a non-winning Magnificent Millions instant game ticket turned out to be worth a life-changing $4 million prize.

“When I play instant games, I skip around when I scratch the ticket off,” said the player, who chose to remain anonymous. “I thought I had scratched everything off and didn’t see any winning matches, so I tossed the ticket aside.

“The next time I stopped at a gas station, I took the ticket inside and scanned it just to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. When I scanned it and got the message to file a claim, I knew I had missed something on the ticket. When I looked it over again, I saw a spot I forgot to scratch. When I revealed I was a $4 million winner I went numb!”

“This incredible story is a great reminder to always double check your tickets to make sure you don’t miss a winner,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Scanning your tickets at a retailer or on the Michigan Lottery app is easy and will ensure you never miss a life-changing prize!”

The lucky 43-year-old player bought his winning ticket at the 9 Mile Stop & Go, located at 28955 Van Dyke in Warren. He recently visited Lottery headquarters to claim his big prize. He chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $2.7 million rather than annuity payments for the full amount. He plans to save his winnings.

Players have won more than $31 million playing Magnificent Millions which launched in September. Each $30 ticket offers players a chance to win prizes ranging from $30 up to $4 million. More than $126 million in prizes remain, including two $4 million top prizes, 184 $5,000 prizes, and 278 $2,000 prizes.

In 2023, Lottery players won nearly $1.8 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at retailers across the state.