A 66-year-old resident of Charlevoix County, Michigan, claimed a $240,955 Fantasy 5 jackpot mere days before the ticket was set to expire. The winning ticket, purchased for the August 28, 2025, drawing, sat lost behind a garage counter for several months. After locating the ticket, the player chose to wait several additional months before visiting the lottery headquarters to complete the validation process.
How did the player lose and find the ticket?
The player purchased the winning Fantasy 5 ticket at the East Jordan Central EZ Mart, located on Water Street in East Jordan, Michigan. As a daily participant in the Fantasy 5 game, he regularly purchased his tickets from this specific location. After learning online that a winning jackpot ticket had been sold at his regular store, he checked his current stack of tickets but did not find a match.
Unbeknownst to the player, the ticket containing the winning numbers—7, 10, 21, 25, and 33—had fallen behind a counter in his garage, where he typically stores his lottery receipts. Several months later, news reports circulated that the $240,955 jackpot from the August 2025 drawing remained unclaimed. This prompted the player to conduct a thorough search of his garage, eventually uncovering the misplaced ticket.
Why did the winner delay claiming the prize?
Upon verifying that he held the jackpot-winning slip, the player did not immediately visit the Michigan Lottery offices. Instead, he chose to hold the ticket for several months to plan his financial allocations. He officially validated the ticket at the lottery headquarters in late August 2026, just days before the one-year expiration deadline.
The winner informed lottery officials that the delay allowed him to think carefully about how to use the funds. His immediate plans for the $240,955 payout include paying off his home mortgage and purchasing a cabin.
What are the rules for unclaimed lottery prizes in Michigan?
Under Michigan Lottery regulations, players have exactly one year (365 days) from the drawing date to claim prizes for terminal-based draw games like Fantasy 5. If a winning ticket is not validated within this timeframe, the prize money is forfeited. Under state law, all unclaimed prize money is directed to the Michigan School Aid Fund to support public education.
How does the Michigan Fantasy 5 game work?
Michigan Fantasy 5 is a daily draw game. Players select five numbers from a pool of 1 to 39. Each standard play costs $1. The jackpot starts at $100,000 and grows daily until a ticket matches all five numbers. Drawings occur every evening at 7:29 p.m. Eastern Time.
Players can opt for two add-on features when purchasing a ticket:
- EZmatch: For an additional $1 per play, players receive five EZmatch numbers printed on their ticket. If any of these match the selected Fantasy 5 numbers, the player wins an instant cash prize of up to $500.
- Double Play: For an additional $1 per play, the numbers are entered into a second drawing held immediately after the regular drawing. The Double Play feature offers a top prize of $110,000.
What are the odds of winning Michigan Fantasy 5?
The game offers four prize tiers based on the number of matching selections. The table below details the odds of winning and the estimated prize structures for the standard nightly drawing.
| Matching Numbers | Estimated Prize Amount | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|---|
| 5 of 5 | Jackpot (Starts at $100,000) | 1 in 575,757 |
| 4 of 5 | $100 | 1 in 3,387 |
| 3 of 5 | $10 | 1 in 103 |
| 2 of 5 | $1 (Free Ticket) | 1 in 10 |
How do other state lottery promotions compare?
Different states manage daily draw games with localized rules and promotions to engage players. While Michigan uses the EZmatch and Double Play add-ons, the Wisconsin Lottery introduces free Lightning Ball promotion to boost Badger 5 odds during promotional periods, showing a different approach to regional daily games. For multi-state draw game enthusiasts, options like the NASCAR Powerball Playoff promotion offers players a chance at a million-dollar prize through parallel drawings tied to sporting events.
For players seeking convenience and wanting to avoid misplacing physical tickets in garages or vehicles, online purchase methods provide digital safety nets. You can secure official lottery entries online through verified ticket services that scan and store digital copies, automatically checking them for winning matches.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do you have to claim a draw game prize in Michigan?
Players have exactly one year (365 days) from the drawing date to claim prizes for terminal-based draw games in Michigan.
What happens to unclaimed lottery money in Michigan?
All unclaimed prize money from Michigan Lottery games is transferred directly to the state’s School Aid Fund to support public education.
What were the winning numbers for the August 28, 2025, Michigan Fantasy 5 drawing?
The winning numbers for that drawing were 7, 10, 21, 25, and 33.
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