Great Lakes Wire

An Emmet County resident has won $1 million through the Michigan Lottery's Diamond Wild Time instant game. The 42-year-old winner, who prefers to remain anonymous, expressed disbelief upon discovering his win.

"I have been playing this game since it came out because I have had pretty good luck with it," he stated. After purchasing a ticket during a stop for an energy drink, he scratched off the card and found himself a millionaire. Initially skeptical, he went to his sister's house where they confirmed the win using the Michigan Lottery app. "Winning such a big prize is shocking, overwhelming, and everything in between," he added.

Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli commented on the player's win: “Winning $1 million would be a dream come true for anyone, and it’s especially exciting for this player who won on the game he’s been playing for nearly two years.” Since its launch in July 2023, players of Diamond Wild Time have claimed over $77 million in prizes.

The winning ticket was purchased at Tom and Dick’s Inc., located at 921 Emmet Street in Petoskey. The winner opted for a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $634,000 instead of annuity payments. He plans to use his winnings to purchase a car and invest.

Diamond Wild Time offers tickets priced at $20 each with potential prizes ranging from $20 to $1 million. Over $30 million in prizes are still available including several high-value rewards. In 2024 alone, lottery players amassed nearly $1.8 billion from instant games across Michigan.