Man Wins MI Lottery After Gas Station Employee's Ticket Mistake

NEW BUFFALO, MI — A happy accident made by a Michigan gas station employee has left one Illinois man hundreds of thousands of dollars richer.

Michael Sopejstal, 60, won $25,000 per year when his Lucky For Life ticket matched the five white balls drawn Sept. 17, according to the Michigan Lottery. The winning numbers were 11, 15, 17, 24 and 48.

Sopejstal bought the lucky ticket at the GoLo gas station at 102 W. Buffalo St. in New Buffalo.

“I come to Michigan every few weeks to eat at my favorite restaurant and I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here,” Sopejstal told the lottery. “I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw, but I told him I still wanted it.”

Sopejstal visited Michigan Lottery headquarters recently to claim his prize. He chose to receive his winnings as a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000, rather than annuity payments of $25,000 a year for 20 years or life, whichever is greater, according to the lottery. With his winnings, he plans to travel and save the remainder.