IRONS, Mich. (WWJ) -- A Michigan man says he “about had a heart attack” after discovering he had won a $1 million Mega Millions prize.
Gerald Carrig, of Irons, bought some Mega Millions tickets for the Jan. 29 drawing and had forgotten about them until he saw them sitting on his desk one day and decided to check if he had any winners.
“I saw I had matched the first number and then kept matching more,” Carrig told the Michigan Lottery. “When I realized I’d won $1 million, I about had a heart attack!”
The 73-year-old Carrig matched the five white balls drawn -- 04-44-58-59-70 -- after buying his winning ticket at the Meijer gas station on Highway 10 in Ludington, about 40 miles southwest of his home in Irons.
Carrig visited Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing to claim his prize and says he plans to use his winnings to pay for his new home and help his family.
“It feels unreal to win a $1 million prize, I still can’t believe it,” Carrig said.
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Mega Millions drawings take place each Tuesday and Friday evening. Each Mega Millions play is only $2. For an additional $1 per play, players have the opportunity to add a “Megaplier” that can multiply non-jackpot prizes by up to five times. Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Mega Millions tickets for may be purchased online at MichiganLottery.com and at the Lottery’s 10,500 retailers around the state until 10:45 p.m. the day of the drawing.