Michigan man changes up lotto strategy, wins $500,000 and plans to buy a new car

A Michigan man decided to change his approach to guessing lottery numbers. Next thing he knew, he won $500,000, according to the Michigan Lottery.

An 64-year-old St. Clair County man, who didn't want to share his name, won the top prize of $500,000 in the Club Keno game by matching eight numbers, the Michigan Lottery said. He bought the winning ticket at SD Liquor in Chesterfield on Jan. 19.

“I play Club Keno often, but I just started playing this new set of Club Keno numbers a few months ago,” the winner told the Michigan Lottery. “I scanned my ticket on the Lottery app when all the drawings were done. At first, I thought I’d won $500, but after a few seconds I realized it said $500,000 and I couldn’t believe it. Winning sure feels good!”

The lucky winner visited the Lottery headquarters Friday to claim his prize. He told the Michigan Lottery he plan to buy a new car with the winnings and save the rest.

What is the Club Keno?

Club Keno is a Michigan Lottery draw game where players can win up to $2 million. When playing this game, you get to choose how many numbers (called spots) you want to play per draw. You can choose from one to 10 spots. The prize you can win depends on the number of spots you choose.

Odds of winning Club Keno?

The odds of winning Club Keno depend on how many numbers a player is trying to match. For instance, if a player decides to play the 10 Spot Game, the odds of matching all 10 numbers are one in 8.9 million.

The odds of winning Club Keno with The Jack add-on is one in 230,115 to match eight numbers.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.