WASHINGTON, Nov 28, (Agencies) A resident of Illinois struck luck in Michigan's Lucky For Life lottery game, winning a substantial prize of $25,000 annually for life, as reported by the Michigan Lottery. Michael Sopejstal, aged 60, hit the jackpot when the winning numbers—11, 15, 17, 24, and 48—on his ticket were announced on Sept 17. The fortuitous ticket was purchased at the GoLo gas station in New Buffalo, Michigan.

Sopejstal attributed part of his significant win to a clerk's error. Recounting the moment, he stated, “I always get a Lucky for Life ticket for 10 or 20 draws while I’m here. I asked the retailer for a ticket for 10 draws, but he accidentally printed a ticket with 10 lines for one draw, but I told him I still wanted it.”

Upon discovering his good fortune, Sopejstal shared, “I checked my ticket one morning and saw that I had won $25,000 a year for life. I immediately started thinking about all the things I could do with the money and whether I wanted to take the lump sum or annuity option. It was an amazing feeling!”

Sopejstal recently visited the Michigan Lottery headquarters to claim his prize and decided to receive a lump sum of $390,000 instead of the annual $25,000 over 20 years (or for life, whichever is greater), according to lottery officials. He expressed plans to use the funds for travel and save the remainder of his winnings.