Wayne County man wins $2 million on "Big Money Pay Day" from a Detroit, Michigan market
A 37-year-old Wayne County man has won $2 million on the Michigan Lottery's $20 Big Money Pay Day instant game, the lottery said Monday. He bought the ticket late one night at Safeway Market Inc., 8031 Dix Street in Detroit, and scratched it in his car before driving home. “When I saw I’d won $2 million, I was in complete shock!” he told the lottery. He chose to stay anonymous.
He said he buys scratch-offs all the time and had won smaller prizes before. He claimed the prize at lottery headquarters and took a one-time lump sum of about $1.3 million instead of annuity payments on the full $2 million. He plans to pay off all his debt and save the rest, the lottery said.
The winning ticket, which the lottery published, shows the number 28 among the five Big Money Numbers and again in the player's numbers, with $2MIL printed under it. Each ticket has 20 numbers to match plus five smaller games along the top.
Big Money Pay Day launched in July with three $2 million top prizes in a run of about 6.4 million tickets, about 1 in 2.14 million at launch. This was the first one claimed, so two remain, along with 12 of the 14 prizes of $10,000 and 183 of 213 prizes of $2,000. Players have won more than $21 million on the game so far, and more than $79 million is still out there. With about 21% of tickets sold, a ticket bought now has about a 1 in 2.55 million shot at a top prize, a little longer than at launch.
The overall odds are 1 in 3.65, and the game returns about 78.3% of sales as prizes, close to the 78.4% average for Michigan's $20 tickets. It rates 78.9 on our ValueScore™, fifth of the state's 17 active $20 games. Recent Michigan winners include a Van Buren County woman who won $1 million on Bonus Multiplier, and the state's newest tickets are in our roundup of four new Michigan scratch-offs.
Sources
Michigan Lottery Connect: Wayne County man wins $2 million playing Big Money Pay Day instant game
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the $2 million Big Money Pay Day ticket sold?
At Safeway Market Inc., 8031 Dix Street, in Detroit, according to the Michigan Lottery. The winner, a 37-year-old Wayne County man who chose to remain anonymous, scratched it in his car after buying it late one night.
How many $2 million prizes are left in Big Money Pay Day?
Two of the game's three, according to the Michigan Lottery. The $20 game launched in July 2026, and more than $79 million in prizes remained as of October 5, including 12 prizes of $10,000 and 183 of $2,000.
How much did the Big Money Pay Day winner take home?
He chose a one-time lump sum of about $1.3 million instead of annuity payments on the full $2 million, the Michigan Lottery said. He told the lottery he plans to pay off all his debt and save the rest.
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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