#megamillions Michigan Lottery Makes History

November 12th, 2010

November 12, 2010, was a day of firsts for the Michigan Lottery and its players: payments to the first Mega Millions jackpot win in the Upper Peninsula and the first Powerball jackpot winner anywhere in Michigan, whose winning numbers were drawn just eight days apart; and the largest one-day prize payout since the Lottery started 38 years ago.

Winners of both the October 29 Mega Millions jackpot and the November 6 Powerball jackpot were in Lansing today to claim their prizes, which totaled $269.6 million. The $141 million Mega Millions prize was claimed by Steve Mays of Gladstone and the Powerball prize of $128.6 million was claimed by the Lottery club Team Victory.

Mays, of the Gladstone area, opted for the Mega Millions annuity, which will pay out approximately $5.4 million a year for 26 years.

"I've been retired for 10 years," said the UP man. "The last couple have been tough and this prize is going to make things a whole lot easier."

When asked what he would do with his winnings Mays replied, "to be determined."

Mays is Michigan's second largest multi-state jackpot winner and its 11th Mega Millions winner since the game began in 2002.

Michigan's last Mega Millions jackpot was won in June 2010.

Team Victory, the Powerball jackpot winner, is made up residents of southeast Michigan. The club opted to take the lump-sum value of the prize, $69,606,574, less federal and state withholding. 

Mike Greer claimed the prize for Team Victory and said that he and the club members "are still in a state of shock."The prize is a blessing," Greer said. "We love southeast Michigan and plan to stay here. We will give some to the church and maybe fix some things around the house."

Team Victory's win is Michigan's fourth largest multi-state jackpot winner and its first Powerball winner since the game was introduced to Michigan players on January 31, 2010.

For selling the winning jackpot tickets, the Grain "n Grape in Gladstone and the Uptown Bookstore in Highland Park will each receive a $50,000 bonus commission.

The $141 million Mega Millions jackpot claimed today rolled 11 times before hitting on October 29. The $128.6 million Powerball jackpot claimed today rolled eight times before hitting on November 3. Total sales during the jackpot runs were $23 million with Michigan schools earning approximately $9.7 million and retailers earning approximately $1.38 million in commissions during this time period. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 42 states. Powerball tickets are sold in 42 states, plus Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Over 94 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2010, the contribution to schools was $701.3 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $15 billion to education in Michigan.

For information on Mega Millions, Powerball and all Michigan Lottery games, please visit the Lottery's Web site at www.michigan.gov/lottery.

This press release is mirrored from http://www.megamillions.com/. We do not own a copyright on it and we are not the original press contact.