An Antrim County woman won $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery’s Golden Key instant game, according to a Mar. 30 announcement from the lottery.
The win highlights the ongoing popularity of scratch-off games in Michigan and their significant payouts to players. The winner, an 85-year-old who chose to remain anonymous, said she has been buying scratch-off tickets weekly for years.
“It’s been part of my routine for years to buy scratch off tickets once a week,” said the player. “The $1 million win was the first thing I scratched off on the ticket. I’m a pretty even-keeled person, so I didn’t have a crazy reaction and stayed calm for the most part. My daughter was with me at the time, so it was fun to be able to share that moment with her.”
She purchased her winning ticket at Family Fare on South Lake Street in East Jordan and claimed her prize at Lottery headquarters. She opted for a one-time lump sum payment of about $693,000 instead of annuity payments for the full amount. The winner plans to buy a new mattress, donate some winnings to charity, and save what remains.
“Honestly, the only big plans I have for now is to buy a new mattress,” she said. “I’ve been putting it off, so my first thought after winning was: ‘It looks like I’m finally getting that new mattress!’”
Golden Key launched in September 2025 and has awarded more than $18 million in prizes since then. Each $10 ticket offers chances at prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million; over $30 million in prizes remain unclaimed—including two top prizes of $1 million each.
In 2025 alone, players won nearly $1.7 billion through instant games offered by the Michigan Lottery.
