Detroit Lions' fan cancels vacation, wins $500K from an instant game

A Michigan lottery player who recently canceled a vacation learned that every cloud has a silver lining after winning a $500,000 prize from one of Michigan Lottery's instant games.

On Wednesday, the Lottery confirmed that Traci Verbowski, from Kawkawlin, Bay County, secured the first top prize from the recently launched Detroit Lions instant game.

Canceled vacation brings unexpected windfall

The incredibly fortunate player planned a vacation with her family recently.

However, Verbowski's plans changed, and, in the end, she decided to stay home and only went out for dinner on one Saturday night.

Speaking to Lottery officials recently, the winner revealed that after dinner, she remembered she had a few Detroit Lions winning tickets.

Verbowski decided to collect her winnings and buy more tickets.

Once at home, the fortunate Bay County woman checked her tickets and was shocked to realize that she had won $500,000.

"When I scratched one of the tickets and saw I won $500,000, I yelled: ‘I think I just won a lot of money!’ I showed my family the ticket and no one could believe what they were seeing," said the lucky winner when speaking to Lottery officials.

The woman admitted that the win was overwhelming, and she hadn't slept a full night over the anticipation of claiming the prize.

When asked what she plans to do with the money, the winner said that she wants to buy a boat and save the rest.

The lucky winner added: "I'm so glad we ended up not going on vacation that weekend, because if we did, I wouldn’t be here claiming $500,000!"

Last but not least, Verbowski said that she has been a huge fan of the Detroit Lions, and this made the win even more exciting.

Two more top prizes remain in play from the Detroit Lions instant game

Suzanna Shkreli, the Michigan Lottery's Commissioner, congratulated the fortunate winner on their $500,000 windfall from the Detroit Lions instant game.

"The excitement for the Lottery’s Detroit Lions-themed instant games can be felt all over Michigan and there are still two top prizes out there waiting to be won! Go Lions," added Shkreli.

The $5 Detroit Lions instant game was one out of three Detroit Lions-branded lottery games introduced by the Lottery to players in Michigan ahead of the start of the NFL season.

The instant game that brought Verbowski her win offers a chance for a prize between $5 and $500,000.

With cost per play at $5, the game's odds of winning any prize are 1 in 3.95.

After the lucky winner from Bay County claimed the first top prize, there are two more prizes of $500,000 remaining in play.

A second-tier prize awards $2,000 and while initially there were 10 such prizes, currently, eight remain in play.

Image credit Michigan Lottery