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Michigan woman wins $500K from Detroit Lions lottery game after small victory

Traci Verbowski's dinner outing led to a life-changing win. Now, she's trading vacations for a boat—and two more jackpots are still up for grabs.

The image shows a paper with the text "Loterie Nationale Tirage de la Première Tranche" written on...
The image shows a paper with the text "Loterie Nationale Tirage de la Première Tranche" written on it, indicating that it is a ticket for the lottery.

Michigan woman wins $500K from Detroit Lions lottery game after small victory

A Michigan woman has scooped a $500,000 prize from the state lottery's Detroit Lions instant game. Traci Verbowski, a resident of Kawkawlin in Bay County, decided to buy extra tickets after a small win—only to land the jackpot. Verbowski, a lifelong Detroit Lions fan, had initially won a smaller sum while out for dinner. She used that money to purchase more tickets, eventually matching the top prize. The game, priced at $5 per play, still has two $500,000 rewards up for grabs, along with eight second-tier prizes of $2,000 each.

Players face odds of 1 in 3.95 for winning any prize, with potential payouts ranging from $5 to $500,000. After her big win, Verbowski cancelled a planned holiday and chose to stay home instead. She now intends to buy a boat and save the remaining funds.

The Detroit Lions instant game continues to offer major prizes, including two remaining $500,000 jackpots. Verbowski's win highlights the game's potential rewards, though the odds remain slim for most players. The lottery confirms that all prizes will be awarded as tickets are sold.

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