Lottery player buys ticket just before closing time — and wins big. ‘I was in shock!’

A Michigan man has claimed his big lottery prize, but he still can’t believe it.

“Winning is an unbelievable feeling and I’m still waiting for it to sink in,” the 44-year-old man told lottery officials.

The Jackson man said he almost missed his chance to buy the winning Emerald Green Wild Time instant game ticket, which cost $5, according to a June 26 news release from the Michigan Lottery.

“I made it to the store just before they were about to close and decided to purchase a Lottery ticket while I was there,” he told lottery officials. “I scratched the ticket right after I purchased it and couldn’t believe it when I saw I’d won $300,000.”

Unsure if he could believe his eyes, the man said he had the clerk at the BP gas station in Osseo look over his ticket.

“When he also confirmed he was seeing a $300,000 prize, I was in shock,” the lottery player said, per the release. “I called my whole family to tell them the good news.”

The winner, who wanted to remain anonymous, plans to purchase a home, according to the release.

Jackson is about 80 miles west of Detroit and 35 miles north of Osseo.

This story was originally published June 26, 2023 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Lottery player buys ticket just before closing time — and wins big. ‘I was in shock!’."