HIS LUCKY DAY

Illinois Man Wins $25,000 a Year for Life in Lottery Printing Error

The 60-year-old won a total of $390,000 after buying an oddly printed lottery ticket

An Illinois man won $25,000 a year for life thanks to a lottery ticket printing error. Michael Sopejstal stopped at a GoLo gas station in Michigan in September, where he often goes to get a Lucky for Life lottery ticket after visiting his favorite restaurant. He asked the cashier to print a ticket for 10 draws, but the cashier accidentally printed 10 lines for a single draw. Sopejstal took the ticket anyway, and he’s happy he did: When he checked the $20 ticket later, he saw he’d won one of the top prizes. According to the lottery, the odds of winning that are one in 1.8 million. The 60-year-old opted for a one-time lump sum payment of $390,000, rather than annual payments of $25,000 a year for 20 years or life. He told the lottery he plans to spend it on travel and save the rest.