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$57M Mega Millions lottery winner is sex offender with criminal pastNews Story
Fred Topous, the Kent City man who just won $57 million in the Mega Millions lottery, is a registered sex offender with a criminal past. A co-worker describes Topous as a man who turned his life around and would do anything for a friend. Topous, 45, previously served time for larceny in Grand Traverse County. He's also been imprisoned on a weapons offense, unlawfully driving away in a vehicle, and forced-entry burglary. The burglary charge is from the 1980s. He's also on the Michigan S
Jun 20, 2008, 8:01 am - Lottery News

Winning Mega Millions lottery ticket worth $56M sold in MichiganNews Story
Unusual California payouts will award more to 3rd place winner than to 2nd place Outside Party World in suburban Grand Rapids, a sign went up Saturday proclaiming that the store sold a ticket worth $56 million in the latest Mega Millions drawing. Manager Dave Castor said he's especially pleased that the jackpot-winning ticket was sold in economically struggling Michigan, whose jobless rate is among the nation's highest. We just can't wait to find out who is the winner, Castor said. We'
Jun 15, 2008, 2:18 pm - Lottery News

Girl struck by lightning, wins lotteryNews Story
Ever wonder what the odds are of getting struck by lightning and winning the lottery? No one quite understands the term striking it lucky better than 16-year-old BreAnna Helsel. The Michigan teen survived being struck by lightning and went on to win $20 in the lottery the next day. Helsel was at her home in Blanchard, about 50 miles northeast of Grand Rapids, watching thunderstorms roll by on June 6 when she noticed rain entering an open kitchen window. She went to close the windo
Jun 14, 2008, 2:45 pm - Lottery News

Mega lottery winner to stick with Ford, ex-wifeNews Story
AP, Free Press reporters mis-quote lottery winner Mega Millions jackpot winner David Sneath said he indeed will buy Ford cars for himself and his family with his new fortune, after working 34 years for the company. And he said he's thinking of getting back together with his ex-wife, Deborah, adding, I love that girl. [Ed.: I'll bet she loves him now too.] A Free Press story incorrectly quoted Sneath, saying he would not buy a Ford product when asked if he would by a luxury car
Apr 6, 2008, 10:18 am - Lottery News

Michigan lawmaker wins $2M lottery jackpotNews Story
A Michigan lawmaker has won a $2 million lottery jackpot. Southgate Democrat Barb Farrah won the prize during Friday's game between the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks at The Palace of Auburn Hills. She randomly was selected from a pool of five finalists. It's a nice financial cushion for Farrah. She is serving her last year in the state House of Representatives and can't run again because of term limits. All the finalists were picked from a pool of 875 people who had bought $2
Feb 25, 2008, 2:54 pm - Lottery News

Lottery winner surprised ticket worth $250,000News Story
Donald Ertman got a little agitated when he found out he'd have to make the 150-mile trip to Lansing to collect his lottery winnings. All that for $150, he complained. Then the owner of the store that sold Ertman the $1 Mega Millions ticket set him straight: It was worth not $150, but a cool quarter of a million. I didn't believe him not at first, Ertman told The Bay City Times. The 71-year-old laid-off factory worker bought the ticket in late December at the Bad Axe Party Store B
Feb 14, 2008, 4:31 pm - Lottery News

Couple hits lottery bigger than thoughtNews Story
A lucky couple expecting to cash in their winning Michigan Lottery ticket became a bit peeved when a store clerk turned down their request. Bad Axe gas station and convenience store owner Eli Kabban said the man and woman showed up Wednesday morning with what they thought was a $150 winning ticket they'd bought Friday. They complained when the clerk told them they would have to collect their winnings in Lansing, the state capital, 150 miles away. Kabban said he took the couple into his
Jan 11, 2008, 10:03 am - Lottery News

$26 million in winning Michigan lottery tickets unclaimedNews Story
Keep an eye out for old state lottery tickets while rummaging through drawers and closets for holiday decorations. Millions of dollars are going unclaimed, and you don't want to lose out. More than $26 million worth of winning tickets were never redeemed in the fiscal year that ended in September. Another $2 million was lost in October. And since the lottery began 35 years ago, an eye-popping $512 million has gone unclaimed. Today, the one-year clock is ticking on a number of sizable win
Nov 27, 2007, 10:48 am - Lottery News

One Hell of a lucky dayNews Story
Couple from Hell didn't have to wait until it froze over If Hell were going to have a lottery winner, it seemed only fitting that it would come on the scariest day of the year. That's what happened to Hell's John and Sue Wilson, who won a Fantasy 5 prize of $115,001 on Wednesday, which also just happened to be Halloween. Sue Wilson, a teacher's aide, said although the couple knew their numbers had been drawn, they didn't realize the drawing had been held on Halloween until they claimed
Nov 5, 2007, 4:20 pm - Lottery News

Some States Consider Leasing Their LotteriesNews Story
As chief operating officer of the California Department of Finance, Fred Klass gets pitches from Wall Street bankers as often as the rest of us might get cold calls from telemarketers or insurance agents. But when Kathleen Brown of Goldman Sachs came to his office earlier this year and suggested privatizing the state lottery, Mr. Klass listened closely. It wasn't merely because Ms. Brown happened to be a former state treasurer as well as the daughter of one famous California governor and the
Oct 16, 2007, 10:05 am - Lottery News