When it comes to lottery games, sometimes a little fatherly advice can go a long way. Just ask the anonymous 38-year-old man from Wayne County, Michigan, who recently won a whopping $7.19 million prize in the state’s Lotto 47 game, all thanks to his dad’s bold suggestion.
For years, this lucky winner had been playing Lotto 47, constantly changing up his numbers. However, after his father advised him to pick a set of numbers and stick with them, he decided to give it a shot. And boy, did it pay off!
Playing the same set of numbers that he had stuck with for years, 22-24-26-40-41-44, the man purchased a ticket online and was in for the surprise of a lifetime when he received an email notifying him of his win.
“I was in total shock and instantly thought how my dad had been right,” the man said. “It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m a millionaire!” He chose to receive his payout as a lump sum, walking away with approximately $4.9 million after taxes.
With plans to invest the money and set some aside for his children’s college funds, the winner expressed his gratitude for his father’s advice, which led to the largest prize ever won through MichiganLottery.com on May 22.
While this man openly praised his father’s strategy, not all lottery winners are as forthcoming with their families. One anonymous winner shared on “The Ramsey Show” that he and his wife chose to keep their $22 million jackpot a secret from their children to avoid any expectations or entitlement.