Michigan man stops for burger during weekly tradition, wins $200K lottery prize

A Michigan man stopped for his weekly burger night – and won big. 

The 57-year-old man from Berrien County, Michigan, wished to remain anonymous, but told the Michigan Lottery that getting a burger and buying lottery tickets was a weekly tradition. 

“I go to Chatterbox every week for burger night and always buy a few Club Keno tickets while I’m there,” he told the Michigan Lottery website. 

Chatterbox Bar & Grill is located in the city of Benton Harbor, Michigan, which is southwest of Kalamazoo. 

On February 28, the man thought his weekly tradition had ended in a bust. 

“It was nearing the end of my draws and I’d only won $4, so I thought that was all I was going to win,” he said. 

As it turned out, he would walk away with much more than $4.

Club Keno drawings are held every three and a half minutes, said the Michigan Lottery’s website, and a player’s prize depends on how much they wager. 

“On the third to last draw, I matched four numbers, then 5, and so on, and I thought to myself: ‘I might win big here!’ When my tenth number was drawn, I couldn’t believe it. Winning still hasn’t sunk in,” he said.

The man matched 10 of the 20 Club Keno numbers, automatically winning a prize of $100,000, said the Michigan Lottery. 

But, as the man had paid for a “Kicker” bonus, his prize doubled to $200,000.

With his sudden windfall, the man told the Michigan Lottery that he plans on paying bills, buying a house, and saving for retirement.

And with $200,000, it is safe to say he will be set for quite a few more burger nights. 

The Michigan Lottery was founded in 1972.

Proceeds from ticket sales go to the Michigan School Aid Fund, said the Michigan Lottery website.

In the 2023 fiscal year, the Michigan Lottery contributed more than $1.3 billion to the Michigan School Aid Fund, they said.