A Michigan man asked his friend if anyone ever actually wins these scratch-offs, then found the answer worth $2 million on the drive home

A 27-year-old from Mackinac County, Michigan, has been buying scratch-off tickets before road trips for years as a personal ritual. This time, the habit paid off in a way he did not see coming. The man, who has chosen to remain anonymous, won a $2 million top prize on a Two Million Dollar Cashword instant game ticket, as first reported by UPI.

The ticket was purchased at a Meijer gas station in Sault Sainte Marie before he and a friend headed home. As he climbed back into the car, he turned to his companion and asked, “Do you think people ever actually win on these?” He began scratching the ticket during the drive and, per the Michigan Lottery, initially thought he had uncovered nine words, putting him at a $10,000 prize.

A few minutes later, he found a tenth word. “When I realized I’d actually won $2 million, I’ll be honest, I cried like a baby,” he told lottery officials. “It still feels like a dream.”

The win is one of several large prizes still available in the Two Million Dollar Cashword game

The Two Million Dollar Cashword game launched in January and has paid out more than $27 million in prizes since then. More than $65 million in prizes remain, including two additional $2 million top prizes, 16 prizes of $10,000, and 90 prizes worth $5,000. The Michigan Lottery reported that players won more than $1.7 billion playing instant games throughout 2025.

The winner opted for a one-time lump sum payment of approximately $1.3 million rather than the annuity option that would have totaled the full $2 million over time. Amid a recent string of unexpected scratch-off paydays, including a Baltimore street sweeper who won $100,000 on the drive home from an overtime shift, stories of routine purchases turning into life-changing moments have drawn consistent attention.

He plans to put the majority of his winnings into investments, with a trip to Hawaii also on the agenda. A Who Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant who recently took home a major prize similarly cited future-focused plans for his windfall.