CARO, Mich. – A Tuscola County man’s backup lottery ticket turned out to be a half-million-dollar winner after his first choice was sold out at a Caro gas station.
The 57-year-old winner told Michigan Lottery officials he originally intended to buy a Triple Red 777s scratch-off at the Speedway on West Caro Road, but when the game was unavailable, he chose a Detroit Tigers-themed ticket instead.
“I stopped at the gas station to buy a Triple Red 777s ticket, but they were sold out, so I told the cashier to give me a Detroit Tigers ticket instead,” he said.
That alternate choice landed him a $500,000 top prize.
“It was hard to believe when I saw I’d won $500,000, but after looking the ticket over several times, I told myself it must be real,” he said.
He brought the ticket back into the store for confirmation.
“I signed the ticket and took it back into the store to have the cashier check it. After she scanned it, she handed it back and said: ‘Looks like you have to go to Lansing for this one!’ Winning $500,000 is an answered prayer and still hasn’t fully sunk in.”
The man said he plans to use the money to help his family and make investments.
