CasinoCityTimes.com

Home
Gaming Strategy
Featured Stories
News
Newsletter
Legal News Financial News Casino Opening and Remodeling News Gaming Industry Executives Search News Subscribe
Newsletter Signup
Stay informed with the
NEW Casino City Times newsletter!
SEARCH NEWS:
Search Our Archive of Gaming Articles 
 

$90 Million and Counting!

2 May 2001

LANSING, Michigan – (Press Release) -- Just how high will the Michigan Lottery's Big Game jackpot soar before some lucky player finds the winning combination?

That's the question on the minds of Michigan Lottery players throughout the state today.

No player correctly matched all six numbers in The Big Game drawing on Tuesday, May 1 -- 4, 13, 15, 16, 25 and gold ball 19 -- pushing the jackpot for Friday, May 4 to an estimated $90 million!

"Not only has spring fever taken hold of the state this week; Big Game jackpot fever has set in as well," said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Don Gilmer. "Lottery players from Detroit to Copper Harbor are all dreaming about what they could do with $90 million. I really hope that dream comes true for some lucky players in Michigan Friday night!"

If one winning ticket matches all six numbers in Friday night's drawing and the player has chosen to receive the winnings as an annuity, before taxes it would amount to roughly:

* $3.46 million per year for 26 years;

* $66,568 per week; or

* $9,509 per day!

For those who prefer to take their cash winnings up-front, it's a pretty nice payday as well. If one lucky cash-option player matches all six winning numbers, he or she will take home a check for approximately $48.1 million (before taxes), the estimated present cash value of Friday's jackpot!

"This is obviously a lot of money we're talking about," said Gilmer. "But, we want to remind players that, besides the jackpot, there are lots of prizes to be won in The Big Game. Even if you don't match all six numbers, you could still win up to $150,000 on a single wager. So I want to caution everyone to check their tickets very carefully to ensure you're not throwing away a winner!"

The Big Game debuted in September 1996; since then, there have been ten lucky jackpot-winning tickets sold here in Michigan. The largest to date was in the May 9, 2000 Big Game drawing in which Larry Ross of Shelby Township won half of a $363 million jackpot!

In addition, 326 players have each won the $150,000 "second prize" for correctly matching the first five Big Game numbers drawn. There are seven other prizes to be won in The Big Game, ranging from $1 for matching only the gold ball, up to $5,000!

Wagers for The Big Game cost $1 and tickets can be purchased at more than 6,400 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide. Other participating Big Game states include Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Odds to win the jackpot are 1 in 76,275,360; overall odds to win any cash prize are 1 in 31.

< Gaming News