Wayne County Man Wins $2 Million on Michigan Lottery Ticket

The lucky winner claimed the prize from a $20 Legendary Wild Time instant ticket purchased in Detroit.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 2:15pm

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A 53-year-old Wayne County man recently won a $2 million prize on a Michigan Lottery Legendary Wild Time instant ticket he purchased at a Detroit gas station. The man, who chose to remain anonymous, said he randomly picked the $20 game and was shocked when he scratched the ticket and saw he had won the top prize. He recently claimed the prize and opted to receive a one-time lump sum payment of about $1.3 million instead of annuity payments.

Why it matters

Lottery wins of this magnitude are rare, with only three $2 million top prizes available in the Legendary Wild Time game. This win highlights the excitement and life-changing potential of playing the lottery, even with a relatively small purchase. However, it also raises questions about anonymity and responsible lottery play.

The details

The winning Legendary Wild Time ticket was purchased at Jefferson Fuels Inc., a gas station located at 8005 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit. The anonymous winner said he randomly selected the $20 game and was stunned when he scratched the ticket and realized he had won the $2 million top prize. After verifying the win with the Michigan Lottery, he chose to receive a one-time lump sum payment of around $1.3 million rather than annuity payments.

  • The winning ticket was purchased on an unspecified date.

The players

Wayne County Man

A 53-year-old man from Wayne County, Michigan who won a $2 million prize on a Michigan Lottery instant ticket.

Jefferson Fuels Inc.

A gas station located at 8005 E. Jefferson Ave. in Detroit where the winning lottery ticket was purchased.

Michigan Lottery

The state-run lottery organization that oversees and verifies lottery wins in Michigan.

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What they’re saying

“Every once in a while, I'll buy a lottery ticket and the Legendary Wild Time game was just a random pick that day. I scratched the ticket right after I bought it and didn't believe it was real when I saw I'd won $2 million! It wasn't until I called the Lottery and verified my prize that it started to sink in that this was really happening.”

— Wayne County Man (freep.com)

What’s next

The Michigan Lottery will continue to monitor the remaining two $2 million top prizes in the Legendary Wild Time game to see if and when they are claimed.

The takeaway

This lottery win serves as a reminder of the life-changing potential of playing the lottery, even with a relatively small $20 ticket purchase. However, it also highlights the importance of responsible lottery play and the complex issues around anonymity for major prize winners.