An Illinois man recently found luck in an unlikely mistake. Michael Sopejstal, 60, won $25,000 a year for life after purchasing a Lucky for Life ticket at a GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan in September. According to Sopejstal, he originally asked for a ticket for 10 draws, but the clerk mistakenly printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw. Despite the error, Sopejstal decided to take the ticket anyway.
Sopejstal’s gamble paid off when he matched the five balls drawn on Sept. 17, winning the grand prize. The Michigan Lottery ticket entitles him to $25,000 a year for life. After choosing to receive a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead, Sopejstal plans to use the windfall for travel and savings.
Michigan Lottery did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the incident, but Sopejstal’s unexpected good fortune has garnered widespread attention.
Lucky For Life, the lottery drawing game that changed Sopejstal’s life, offers players a chance to win big with numbers that match the winning selection. For Sopejstal, what seemed like a mistake at first turned out to be a life-changing twist of fate.
For more information, visit TODAY.com
