Bay County Man Wins $157K Jackpot After Purchasing Ticket On A Whim

(CBS DETROIT) - A man from Bay County decided to purchase a Fantasy 5 ticket on a whim, and it ended up paying off because he won the game's $157,721 jackpot.

Man from Bay County won $157,721 Fantasy 5 jackpot. | Credit: Michigan Lottery

Larry Mielens, 58, of Munger, matched the Fantasy 5 numbers in the July 10 drawing to win the big prize: 08-12-21-31-34.

Officials say Mielens bought his ticket on the Michigan Lottery website.

"I play Fantasy 5 every so often, usually when the jackpot is more than $200,000," said Mielens. "I bought this ticket on a whim. I had $11 in my account and decided to use it to buy a few tickets even though the jackpot was less than $200,000. "The day after the drawing, I saw I had a prize notification email from the Lottery. I logged on to my account and thought I had won $157 dollars at first. When I realized I'd won the jackpot, I was shocked! It was a fantastic feeling!"

The lucky player visited the lottery headquarters to claim his prize.

Mielens says with his winnings he plans to make some home improvements and then save the remainder.

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