Michigan man $1m lottery After Two Words: “Why Not?”

A 62-year-old Oakland County man just became Michigan’s latest millionaire — and he has two words to thank for it: “Why not?”

He was picking out a handful of scratch-off tickets at a Speedway in Rochester when the clerk asked if he wanted to add a Ruby 7s ticket to the pile. He shrugged and said, “Why not?” Minutes later, sitting in his car, he scratched that ticket and went into shock: it was a $1 million winner.

His daughter was in the car with him. When he showed her the ticket, she jumped so hard she nearly hit her head on the roof of the car.

How a Clerk’s Suggestion Turned Into Million

The man, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Michigan Lottery he hadn’t planned on buying the Ruby 7s ticket at all. He’d already picked out several other scratch-offs when the clerk, pulling tickets off the rolls, asked if he wanted one more.

That casual question turned out to be worth a million dollars.

He bought the winning ticket at the Speedway on South Rochester Road in Rochester. He started scratching his tickets as soon as he got to his car — and that’s when everything changed. After the initial shock wore off, he headed to Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim the prize in person, choosing a one-time lump sum of about $693,000 instead of annuity payments for the full $1 million.

His plans for the money are refreshingly down-to-earth: start college funds for his kids, buy a house, and have some fun with the rest. In his words, the prize will give him “some leeway financially.”

The Winning Game: Michigan Lottery’s Ruby 7s

Ruby 7s is a $10 instant game that launched in June 2026. Each ticket gives players a shot at prizes ranging from $10 all the way up to the $1 million top prize.

The game started with three $1 million top prizes. At the time of this win, two of those top prizes were still out there — along with plenty of smaller prizes. Here’s what the prize pool looked like:

According to the Michigan Lottery, players had already won more than $16 million on Ruby 7s before this ticket hit — and in 2025, Michigan players won more than $1.7 billion on instant games overall.

Million vs. 3,000: What He Actually Took Home

If you’ve ever wondered why a “$1 million win” turns into $693,000, here’s the short version: the man chose the lump sum.

Michigan Lottery instant-game top prizes like this one can be taken two ways:

• Annuity: the full $1 million, paid out over time.
• Lump sum: a single, smaller cash payment — in this case, about $693,000.

Almost every Michigan winner picks the lump sum, and this man was no exception. He walked away with one check instead of a stream of payments.

And then there are taxes. The $693,000 isn’t the final number either — lottery winnings are taxable income. For Michigan prizes over $5,000, the lottery withholds 24% for federal taxes and 4.25% for Michigan state taxes right off the top, and winners receive a W-2G form to report the income at tax time. Depending on total income for the year, the final tax bill can be higher, which is exactly why winners are urged to talk to a tax professional before spending a dime.

What He Plans to Do With the Money

No sports cars, no private islands — at least not yet. The winner’s to-do list reads like a responsible parent’s dream:

• College funds for his kids — the first priority.
• Buy a house — a big one for a lot of families right now.
• Have some fun with the rest — because a million dollars should include at least a little joy.

He’s Not the Only One: Michigan’s Recent Million Winners

Michigan has been on a hot streak. This Oakland County win is just one of several million-dollar prizes claimed in the state in recent weeks:

The Montcalm County story might be the wildest of the bunch: the 75-year-old winner initially thought he’d won $5,000 on his King Cashword ticket. It wasn’t until he looked the ticket over a few more times that he realized he’d missed a letter — and the prize was actually $1 million. He was so shaken he drove over an hour to the Lottery office in Grand Rapids just to have them confirm it was real.

How to Claim a Big Michigan Lottery Prize

If you’re ever lucky enough to hold a winning ticket like this one, here’s what actually happens next:

1. Sign the back of your ticket. A lottery ticket is a bearer instrument — whoever holds it can claim it. Sign it immediately and store it somewhere safe.
2. Don’t rush. You have 365 days from the game’s end (for scratch-offs) or the drawing date (for draw games) to claim. Take a breath.
3. Call in professionals. An accountant, an attorney, and a financial adviser — in that order, ideally before you claim.
4. Go to Lottery headquarters. Any Michigan Lottery prize over $100,000 must be claimed in person at Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing. Bring a government-issued photo ID and your Social Security card.
5. Choose lump sum or annuity. You’ll make this decision at claim time, so understand both options beforehand.
6. Stay quiet if you want. Winners can choose to remain anonymous — every recent Michigan million-dollar winner has.

Lump Sum or Annuity: Which Is Smarter?

There’s no universally right answer, but here’s how winners tend to think about it:

Take the lump sum if you want control of the money now, you’d rather invest it yourself, or you’d simply rather not wait decades for the full amount. The trade-off: the lump sum is always smaller than the advertised jackpot, and the entire amount is taxable in a single year, which can push you into a higher bracket.

Take the annuity if you want a guaranteed income stream, you’d rather spread the tax hit across many years, or you don’t trust yourself with a sudden pile of cash. The trade-off: you’re locked in, inflation eats at future payments, and you can’t access the full amount early.

For instant games like Ruby 7s, the math is simpler than for giant Powerball jackpots — but the principle is the same. Almost every Michigan scratch-off winner takes the lump sum.

Do Michigan Lottery Winners Pay Taxes?

Yes — and it’s not optional.

• Michigan withholds 4.25% for state income tax on lottery prizes over $5,000.
• The federal government withholds 24% on the same prizes.
• You’ll receive a W-2G form showing your winnings and the amounts withheld.
• Withholding isn’t the same as your final tax bill. The prize counts as ordinary income, so depending on your total income, you could owe more at filing time — or get some back.

Compared with states like New York (8.82%), Michigan’s 4.25% state rate is on the gentler side. Still, on a $693,000 lump sum, the combined withholding takes a serious bite before the money ever reaches your bank account. Talk to a tax professional — this is the single most repeated piece of advice given to lottery winners, and it’s repeated because winners keep ignoring it.

Can Michigan Lottery Winners Stay Anonymous?

Yes. Michigan gives winners of prizes of $10,000 or more the option to remain anonymous — and lately, just about every big winner takes it. The 62-year-old in this story did, as did the other recent million-dollar winners mentioned above.

That said, the Lottery still collects your real information for tax and record-keeping purposes. “Anonymous” means your name isn’t released to the public and the media — not that the government doesn’t know who you are.

FAQs

Who is the Michigan man who won million on the lottery?

He’s a 62-year-old from Oakland County who chose to remain anonymous. He won $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Ruby 7s instant game after a Speedway clerk in Rochester suggested the ticket and he replied, “Why not?”

How much did the Michigan M lottery winner actually receive?

He chose the lump sum option and received about $693,000 before taxes, rather than the full $1 million paid out over time as an annuity. Federal and state taxes are then withheld from that amount.

Where was the winning Michigan lottery ticket sold?

At the Speedway gas station on South Rochester Road in Rochester, Michigan. The winner scratched the ticket in his car in the parking lot.

What is the Ruby 7s Michigan Lottery game?

Ruby 7s is a $10 Michigan Lottery instant (scratch-off) game that launched in June 2026, with prizes ranging from $10 to $1 million. It launched with three $1 million top prizes.

Are there still million Ruby 7s prizes left?

At the time of this win, two of the three $1 million top prizes were still unclaimed, along with over $29 million in remaining prizes. Check the Michigan Lottery’s “prizes remaining” page for the current status before buying — prizes can be claimed at any time.

How long do you have to claim a Michigan Lottery prize?

You have 365 days — from the announced end of the game for scratch-offs, or from the drawing date for draw games.

Can you remain anonymous if you win the Michigan Lottery?

Yes. Winners of prizes of $10,000 or more can elect to remain anonymous in Michigan.

Read Also: How to Drive a Manual Car: Complete Beginner’s Guide to Manual Transmission Driving