Helen Davlantes, a 58-year-old from Sterling Heights, had her life turned upside down after a routine walk with her dog. When she got home, her husband was holding their lottery ticket, excitedly telling her that they had won $25,000 a year for life in the Lucky For Life lottery.
Helen’s winning ticket matched the five white balls drawn on May 16: 12-19-34-39-45. She had bought it at the Shell gas station on East 15 Mile Road in Sterling Heights.
“We usually play other Lottery games, but every now and then, we try our luck with a Lucky For Life ticket,” Helen explained. “When I saw the ticket and the winning numbers, I was overwhelmed with emotions. The reality of the win only hit me when a Lottery employee confirmed it the next day.”
Helen chose to receive her winnings as annual payments of $25,000 for at least 20 years or for life. She plans to save this money for her retirement.
Lucky For Life has been exceptionally lucky for players in 2024, with nine lifetime cash prizes awarded so far. These winning tickets were bought at various locations across Michigan, including both physical stores and online at MichiganLottery.com.
For just $2 per play, Lucky For Life gives players a chance to win prizes ranging from $3 to a lifetime of cash. To win the top prize of $1,000 a day for life, players must match all five winning numbers plus the Lucky Ball. Matching the five numbers without the Lucky Ball wins $25,000 a year for life. Drawings are held every night at 10:38 p.m.