A Michigan man used his Sunday can-return money on a scratch-off and won $500,000
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A 39-year-old man from Livingston County has claimed a $500,000 top prize on the Michigan Lottery's $5 Stampede Payout scratch-off. According to the Michigan Lottery, he bought the ticket at a CVS on Pontiac Trail in South Lyon. He was not named.
The money for the ticket came from cans. "I have a ritual of returning cans every Sunday morning and then using the money to buy lottery tickets," he said in a statement released by the lottery. "After I bought my tickets, I put them in my glove box and ran errands the rest of the day."
"Later that night, after dinner, I sat down and scratched the tickets. When I saw I'd won $500,000, I started yelling and jumping up and down! I tried to scan the ticket on the app after, but my hands were shaking so bad I couldn't get it to scan until later."
He told the lottery the prize gave him "financial freedom," and that he plans to pay off his house mortgage, take a vacation, and take friends out to dinner.
What is left in the game
Stampede Payout launched August 4, 2026 with three $500,000 top prizes. This is the first $500,000 prize claimed, so two remain, along with seven of the ten $2,000 prizes and 92 of the 123 $500 prizes. About 20% of the game's tickets have been sold.
| Prize | At launch | Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | 3 | 2 |
| $2,000 | 10 | 7 |
| $500 | 123 | 92 |
| $100 | 4,192 | 3,303 |
| $50 | 67,565 | 53,544 |
The game pays back 70.1% of sales, above the national $5 average of 69.3%, with overall odds of 1 in 4.04. It rates 58.3 on our ValueScore™ scale, mid-table among Michigan's 112 active games. The Michigan Lottery said players have won more than $4 million on Stampede Payout since it launched in August.
Michigan's $5 games average 70.2% payout, so Stampede Payout sits right at the state norm for its price and a point above the national $5 figure. Its score is held down by the prize table, where most of the money is spread across the $20 and $50 tiers. The top-rated games in the state right now are all $20 to $50 tickets, led by the $30 Diamond 7s at 94.5. Current Michigan rankings update daily.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won $500,000 on the Michigan Lottery Stampede Payout game?
A 39-year-old man from Livingston County who was not named. According to the Michigan Lottery, he bought the $5 Stampede Payout ticket at a CVS on Pontiac Trail in South Lyon with money from returning cans, a routine he keeps every Sunday morning. He plans to pay off his house, take a vacation, and take friends to dinner.
How much of a $500,000 Michigan Lottery prize do you keep?
The lottery withholds 24% for federal tax and 4.25% for Michigan tax, a total of $141,250, so the check is about $358,750. A $500,000 prize puts a single filer into the 35% federal bracket, so the final federal bill is closer to $145,000 once the return is filed, leaving roughly $334,000 after both taxes.
Are there still top prizes left on Stampede Payout?
Yes. The game launched August 4, 2026 with three $500,000 top prizes. This is the first one claimed, and two remain as of September 3, 2026. About 20% of the tickets have been sold. The game pays back 70.1% of sales with overall odds of 1 in 4.04.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
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