April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

A Livingston County man won $500,000 on the first lottery ticket he’d ever purchased, the Michigan Lottery’s Wild Side instant game, and he claimed the prize on his 21st birthday.

The lucky 21-year-old player, who chose to remain anonymous, bought the winning ticket at the Fast Lane Convenience store, located at 3540 State Street in Saginaw.

“I had never played the Lottery before, but I’ve seen my mom purchase tickets now and again, so I decided to buy one while I was at the store,” said the player. “I didn’t know how to play the game, so I took the ticket home and had my parents walk me through it. When we revealed the $500,000 prize, we didn’t think it was real.

“We went to the Lottery office in Saginaw to have them look at the ticket. When they confirmed it really was a $500,000 winner, we were in disbelief. I knew right then that this money was about to change my life. What makes it even more exciting is that today is my 21st birthday!”

The man visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim his big prize. With his winnings, he plans to study abroad, pay for his tuition, and then save the remainder.

Players have won more than $12 million playing Wild Side, which launched in March 2023. Each $5 ticket offered players a chance to win prizes ranging from $5 up to $500,000. More than $18 million in prizes remain, including two $500,000 top prizes and six $2,500 prizes.

In 2022, Lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games.

Lottery instant games may be purchased at any of the 10,500 retailers across the state.