Great Lakes Wire

A woman from Macomb County has won $1 million playing the Michigan Lottery's Smokin' Hot Million instant game. The 79-year-old winner, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed her feelings as "exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between."

She recounted purchasing five tickets at a Kroger store when she noticed a worker stocking the Lottery kiosk. Upon scratching the tickets at home, she discovered her win. "When I scratched off the $1 million prize, I sat there and stared at the ticket for a while and then told my husband that I just won big," she said.

Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli commented on the popularity of instant games like Smokin' Hot Million, noting that they contributed significantly to sales and increased funding for the School Aid Fund. "Congratulations to the player on her $1 million prize! It’s great to hear that she plans to use her big win to pay it forward," Shkreli stated.

The winning ticket was purchased at Kroger located at 14945 23 Mile Road in Shelby Township. The winner opted for a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $693,000 instead of annuity payments. She plans to share her winnings with family, take a cruise, and give back to others.

Since its launch in May, players have won over $10 million with Smokin' Hot Million. Each ticket costs $10 and offers prizes ranging from $10 up to $1 million. Over $36 million in prizes remain available.

In 2024 alone, Michigan Lottery players claimed nearly $1.8 billion in prizes from instant games.