A forgotten scratch-off on a gas station counter made a Michigan man a millionaire
A 33-year-old man from Wayne County, Michigan, won the $1 million top prize on a Blazing Suits $10 scratch-off after buying a ticket that had been left on the counter of a Detroit gas station, according to the Michigan Lottery.
The player said he noticed a Blazing Suits ticket on the counter that someone else had decided not to buy and purchased it instead. "I scratched the ticket and couldn't believe it when I saw it was a $1 million winner!" he recalled. "I would never have imagined winning such a large amount in the lottery, so it really is a blessing."
The ticket was purchased at Fawaz Petroleum LLC on Schoolcraft Street in Detroit, per the Michigan Lottery.
When claiming his prize at Lottery headquarters, the winner chose the lump-sum cash option of about $693,000 instead of taking the prize as annuity payments. He told officials he plans to save the money for potential hard times and acknowledged the pressure that comes with a large win: "Winning is a great feeling, but it also brings a lot of pressure, because your mind starts considering all the different options you have with that amount of money."
The Michigan Lottery says proceeds from its games are donated to the Department of Education. The Lottery contributed more than $1 billion to support Michigan schools last year. "Instant games like Blazing Suits help drive sales, which boosts our contributions to Michigan schools," Michigan Lottery representative Shkreli said. "In fiscal year 2025, the Lottery contributed more than $1 billion to the School Aid Fund for the seventh consecutive year," the Lottery added (Michigan Lottery).
About the Blazing Suits game (Michigan Lottery details) - Blazing Suits launched in June. Michigan players have won more than $14 million playing the game. - $10 tickets offer prizes ranging from $10 up to the $1 million top prize. - As of the Lottery's announcement, more than $32 million in prizes remain, including two remaining $1 million top prizes and 15 prizes of $2,000.
Another unusual win this year This was not the only Michigan lottery win this year achieved by unconventional means. Tammy Carvey, 45, of Wyandotte bought an online Powerball ticket on MichiganLottery.com for the September 6 drawing after asking ChatGPT for a set of numbers. She said she only plays Powerball when the jackpot is very large (the jackpot had exceeded $1 billion), and she added the Power Play option to her ticket online. When she checked her account she realized the ticket — with Power Play — won $100,000. "My husband and I were in complete disbelief," she told Lottery officials.
