In a stroke of luck, a 60-year-old Illinois resident, Michael Sopejstal, secured a whopping $390,000 in the Lucky For Life lottery, thanks to a cashier's error at a GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan. The fortunate mishap occurred when Sopejstal requested a lottery ticket for multiple draws but instead received a ticket with ten lines for a single draw.
Sopejstal, who frequently visits Michigan to dine at his preferred restaurant, shared his regular routine of purchasing Lucky for Life tickets for 10 or 20 draws on his trips. However, this particular visit on September 17 brought an unexpected twist of fate. The cashier's mistake, initially perceived as a minor hiccup, turned out to be a golden ticket for Sopejstal, leading him to match five winning numbers - 11, 15, 17, 24, and 48.
Upon realizing his win, Sopejstal recounted his initial reaction, "I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life. I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option. It was an amazing feeling!"
Choosing the financial path for his winnings, Sopejstal opted for a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of the annuity option, which would have provided $25,000 annually for 20 years or life, whichever was greater. He expressed his plans to utilize the windfall for travel and savings, highlighting the transformative impact of this fortuitous event on his life.
This incident underscores the unpredictability and excitement inherent in lottery games. Lucky For Life tickets, priced at $2 per play, offer participants a chance at life-changing prizes, with drawings taking place nightly at 10:38 p.m. Sopejstal's win is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with a similar win in Ohio, where another player claimed the same Lucky For Life prize during the Thanksgiving week.
Sopejstal's win serves as a reminder of the serendipitous nature of lotteries, where a simple error can lead to a life-altering fortune. It also highlights the thrill and anticipation that keep lottery enthusiasts coming back, hoping for their lucky break.
