'I Thought I Was Dreaming:' MI Man Wins $1M On Scratch-Off Ticket

MICHIGAN — A Michigan man had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming when he realized he won a $1 million on a scratch-off ticket, according to lottery officials.

The 42-year-old player bought his winning Diamond Wild Time ticket at Tom and Dick’s Inc., located at 921 Emmet Street in Petoskey, lottery officials said.

He told lottery officials he stopped at the store to buy an energy drink when he saw they had his favorite scratch-off ticket, so he decided to buy it.

"When I scratched the ticket and saw I won $1 million, I had to pinch myself because I thought I was dreaming," he told lottery officials.

He then drove to his sister’s house to show her, and she thought it was a prank ticket, lottery officials said.

"She scanned it on her Michigan Lottery app, and that’s when we knew I really did just win $1 million," he said. "Winning such a big prize is shocking, overwhelming, and everything in between."

He chose to receive his prize as a one-time lump sum payment of about $634,000, rather than annuity payments for the full amount, lottery officials said.

With his winnings, he plans to buy a car and invest, lottery officials said.