75-year-old Michigan man thought he won $5,000. He had actually won $1 million
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A 75-year-old Montcalm County man has claimed a $1 million top prize on the Michigan Lottery's $20 King Cashword instant game, after initially thinking it was a $5,000 winner. According to the Michigan Lottery, he bought the ticket at Maple Valley Market at 106 West 2nd Street in Trufant, about 35 miles northeast of Grand Rapids, and asked to remain anonymous.
"King Cashword is my favorite game," he said. "When I scratched this ticket, I thought I won $5,000 and I was thrilled! I looked at the ticket a few more times, which is when I realized I missed the 'L' in the call letter box and actually won $1 million."
"I was in disbelief, so I drove over an hour to the Lottery office in Grand Rapids so I could have them check the ticket and confirm that it really was a $1 million winner," he said. "I'm still shaky and in shock at the thought of winning this much money!"
He chose a one-time lump sum of about $693,000 in place of annuity payments on the full amount, and plans to donate, help others, and set up a trust fund for his children.
That was the last $1 million prize for this game
King Cashword went on sale June 30, 2025 with three $1 million top prizes. This claim was the third, so the game's top tier is now empty. The lottery said players have won more than $57 million on the game and that more than $14 million in prizes remain, including eight $5,000 prizes and 146 of $1,000. About 80% of the tickets printed have been sold.
| Prize | At launch | Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000,000 | 3 | 0 |
| $5,000 | 30 | 8 |
| $1,000 | 609 | 145 |
| $500 | 3,043 | 616 |
| $200 | 45,818 | 9,180 |
The game pays back 78.4% of sales, level with the 78.3% average for a $20 ticket in Michigan, and has odds of one in 3.28. With no top prize left and a fifth of the run to go, it rates a low 57.1 on our ValueScore™ scale, 48th of the 111 games on sale in the state.
Michigan has had a busy stretch of claims, including a $500,000 win on Stampede Payout and a $1 million win in Kent County, alongside four new games launched September 1. The lottery said instant players won more than $1.7 billion in 2025. Current Michigan rankings update daily.
Sources
Michigan Lottery: Montcalm County Man Wins $1 Million Playing King Cashword Instant Game
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won $1 million on the Michigan Lottery King Cashword game?
A 75-year-old Montcalm County man who chose to remain anonymous. According to the Michigan Lottery, he bought the $20 ticket at Maple Valley Market, 106 West 2nd Street in Trufant, about 35 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. He first read it as a $5,000 winner, then spotted a missed letter and drove to the Lottery office in Grand Rapids to confirm the $1 million.
How much did the King Cashword winner take home?
He chose a one-time lump sum of about $693,000 in place of annuity payments on the full $1 million. Michigan withholds 24% for federal tax and 4.25% for state tax, so the check would be about $497,000. Under 2026 federal brackets the final federal bill on $693,000 is about $213,000, leaving roughly $450,000 after both taxes.
Are there any $1 million prizes left in King Cashword?
No. The game launched June 30, 2025 with three $1 million top prizes, and this claim was the third. According to the lottery, more than $14 million in prizes remain, including eight $5,000 prizes and about 146 $1,000 prizes. About 80% of the tickets have been sold as of September 8, 2026, and the game rates 57.1 on our ValueScore scale, 48th of 111 in Michigan.
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.
