Player Grabs $2M after Choosing Lottery Ticket Over Casino Night

Luck can come in many forms but it is mostly about being in the right place at the right time. For one man from South Carolina, the decision to forgo visiting a local casino and play the lottery instead turned out to be a life-changing one.

A Fateful Decision

Michael Buckner, a 58-year-old man from South Carolina who works in Escanaba, Michigan, was wondering whether to visit the casino. In the end, he decided to buy a lottery ticket instead, which turned out to be a fateful decision.

The Michigan Lottery Mega Multiplier scratcher ended up winning Buckner some $2 million, according to lottery officials. This life-changing sum is notably the top prize Mega Multiplier players can win. For context, Mega Multiplier tickets cost $20 and offer only three $2 million prizes.

In an interview with Lottery officials, Buckner said that he couldn’t believe his luck at first.

I was trying to decide between going to the casino or buying instant tickets and ended up deciding to buy instant tickets. When I scratched off the $2,000,000 Mega Multiplier game and saw I won $2 million, I didn’t think it was real.

Michael Buckner

Buckner Couldn’t Believe His Luck

Buckner added that his girlfriend also didn’t believe that he had won at first. He admitted that the fact still hasn’t fully sunk in for the two of them.

Michigan Lottery officials added that when Buckner visited the lottery HQ in Lansing, he opted to take the lump cash payment instead of the annuity. As a result, he scooped up $1.3 million, of which he plans to share with his family and pay bills. The South Carolina man added that he will save up the remainder of the prize.

Lottery commissioner Suzanna Shkreli praised Buckner on his win and said that his decision to spend $20 on the ticket has turned out to be a winning one. Shkreli added that instant games have contributed over a billion dollars to the School Aid Fund in 2024 alone.

In other news, famous rapper and YouTuber Greatness Reinvented just won a six-figure jackpot during his visit to Beau Rivage Resort and Casino while hiding from Hurricane Milton. In the meantime, the Powerball continued to grow after another unsuccessful drawing.

Elsewhere, an Australian player won $5.4 million after purchasing a ticket right after visiting their dentist.