Teen lottery winner gives $500K jackpot to parents
LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) – A Michigan teenager who hit a $500,000 jackpot is giving nearly all of it to his parents.
The 19-year-old from Ingham County won the prize playing the Golden Wild Time instant game. He purchased the winning ticket at a Sunoco gas station in Williamston.
“I scratched (it) off in the store and at first I thought they were playing a trick on me until I saw how excited they were about the ticket,” he said in a Friday news release from the Michigan Lottery. “It’s just incredible, I can’t get the smile off of my face.”
The lucky player visited the lottery headquarters in Lansing Friday to claim his prize and share his plans for the money.
“I’m going to keep about $5,000 for myself to invest, and I’m going to give the rest to my parents,” said the player. “My parents have done so much for my sister and me, helping them takes a big weight off of their shoulders and mine.”