I am a big “scratcher” fan. I buy these flashy lottery tickets for friends’ birthdays, tuck them into get-well cards, and this time of year, I always top family stockings with a little holiday-themed lotto love. Worst-case scenario, you play a quick game and there’s no reward. Best case? Well, you just opened the biggest gift of your life.

STORY: Mom Who Bought Lottery Ticket on a Whim Wins $1 Million



That’s what happened when one Jackson, Mich., man got a $5 scratch-off ticket from his children for Christmas last week. The kids bought the Michigan Lottery’s Holiday Ice instant game for their dad at a local Shell station. The card shows three games, and Game 3 — in which you win if there’s a snowman image with a dollar amount — proved to be the lucky one for this family.

Photo: Michigan Lottery

The scarf-wearing snowman is hovering above the figure $300,000 on the winning ticket, pictured above. According to the Michigan Lottery, players have won nearly $8.7 million with the Holiday Ice game, which was introduced in October. They confirm that there’s still more than $5.5 million in Holiday Ice money out there, including one other $300,000 prize.

STORY: Homeless Man to Spend $500K Lottery Win to Reconnect With Daughter

Although the winner wishes to remain anonymous, lottery headquarters reports that he was “still in disbelief” when he arrived on Monday to claim his bounty. The lucky dad told officials that he plans to help his family with the money, and specifically that he’ll send his children somewhere nice for spring break. Everybody wins!

Photo at top: iStock

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