Unclaimed $25,000-a-Year-for-Life Lottery Prize Remains Mystery in Livonia

Photo byState of Michigan Lottery

Six months after the winning numbers were drawn, a life-changing prize remains unclaimed. Time is running out for the lucky ticket holder.

Six-Month Search for Lucky Winner: $25,000-a-Year-for-Life Prize Still Unclaimed in Livonia

Livonia, MI – A Lucky For Life ticket worth $25,000 a year for life remains unclaimed, six months after being sold at a local drugstore. The ticket, purchased at Merriman Drugs located at 31320 5 Mile Road in Livonia, matched all five white balls drawn on March 26. The winning numbers—18, 25, 34, 39, and 48—entitled the ticket holder to a lifetime of annual payments or a significant lump sum, but the prize still awaits its rightful owner.

“This is a life-changing event, and we want the winner to claim their prize,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “We hope to hear from the winner within the next six months, but if the prize goes unclaimed, it will benefit Michigan’s public schools through the School Aid Fund.”

The Michigan Lottery offers the winner two payout options: annual payments of $25,000 for a minimum of 20 years or life, whichever is longer, or a one-time lump sum of $390,000. To claim the prize, the winner must contact the Michigan Lottery Player Relations Division at 844-917-6325 and schedule an appointment at the Lottery’s headquarters in Lansing. The ticket is valid for one year from the drawing date, leaving the potential millionaire until March 26, 2025, to come forward.

Lucky For Life: A Year of Big Wins Across Michigan

The unclaimed prize is just one of many Lucky For Life wins in Michigan this year. Twelve other Michigan Lottery players have struck similar fortune in 2024. Recent winners include residents from Mount Pleasant, Escanaba, Redford Township, Macomb, and Sterling Heights, among others. Most winners have chosen to collect their lifetime annuities promptly, but the Livonia prize remains conspicuously absent from claim.

Earlier this year, a Redford Township woman claimed her prize for a winning ticket purchased on March 23 at Value Center Market in Livonia. Just days before, a Flushing man had claimed his own prize for a March 25 drawing, which he entered online. These rapid claims highlight the unusual nature of the unclaimed Livonia ticket.

The Odds and Opportunities of Lucky For Life

Lucky For Life, a popular game in the Michigan Lottery, offers participants the chance to win prizes ranging from $3 to $1,000 a day for life. For just $2 per play, players must match five numbers between 1 and 48, plus one Lucky Ball between 1 and 18, to win the top prize of $1,000 a day for life. Matching the five white balls without the Lucky Ball wins $25,000 a year for life—exactly the prize that remains unclaimed in Livonia.

Lottery drawings occur daily at 10:38 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at retailers statewide or online at MichiganLottery.com. With such frequent opportunities and relatively low entry costs, the game remains a compelling draw for Michigan residents. Yet, even with the allure of life-altering prizes, some winners may still not realize their luck.

Impacts of Unclaimed Prizes: Benefiting Michigan Schools

While it’s hard to imagine letting such a prize slip away, unclaimed winnings are not entirely lost. If the Livonia ticket goes unclaimed, the funds will be redirected to the Michigan School Aid Fund, supporting public education across the state. In the 2023 fiscal year alone, the Michigan Lottery contributed over $1.25 billion to the fund, demonstrating the significant impact of lottery revenues on the state’s educational resources.

“Although we always hope to see prizes claimed, the silver lining is that unclaimed funds help support public education in Michigan,” said Shkreli. “It’s a win for the students and schools across the state.”

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