Generous grandfather of 21 Phillip Chippewa says he will buy new houses for his entire family after winning $80million on the Michigan State Lottery (Picture: WXYZ)

A generous grandfather of 21 who won an enormous $80million lottery jackpot plans to spend his fortune on homes for his entire family.

Phillip Chippewa, 54, says he will splash out on comfortable new digs for all seven of his children at the Native American reservation they live on in Michigan.

He explained: ‘With seven children and 21 grandchildren, I’ve always said that I might not have the most money, but I am rich with family.

‘Now, I have all the money I’ll ever need and can help my family for generations. That means everything to me.’


But Phillip revealed his family nearly missed out on the windfall after he dithered on whether to even buy a ticket for the Powerball draw he ended up winning.

Phillip Chippewa and wife Dawn beam for the cameras after winning an enormous $80million Powerball jackpot (Picture: Michigan State Lottery)

He explained: ‘Any time I see the jackpot getting up there, I buy a few tickets and hope for the best.



‘I stopped at (convenience store) Barrels and Barrels the day of the drawing and almost walked out without buying the tickets, but at the last minute, I decided to get four plays.’

Phillip realized his luck might have been in after his wife Dawn’s sister texted to say the winning Powerball ticket had been bought at their local store.

He said: After I bought the tickets, I had put them away in my truck.

‘I ran out to take a look at them and I didn’t have to look past the first line to see I was the winner.

‘Of course, my wife and son thought I was playing a trick, so my son pulled the numbers up on his phone and read them out loud while Dawn and I looked at the ticket together.

‘By the time he was done, we both had tears in our eyes.’

Phillip then went back to the store with the ticket, where his win was confirmed.

He told WXYZ: ‘As soon as we walked in the clerk asked: “Are you guys the big winners?”

‘I handed him the ticket and said: “We’re about to find out.”

‘When the terminal printed a receipt saying to contact the lottery, we knew our lives had changed.’

Phillip plans to treat himself to a new motorbike and white Dodge Challenger, but has not quit his job, and says he has no plans to do so.

He explained: ‘Winning is life changing, but it’s not going to change who we are.

‘My wife and I have been together for 25 years, we’ve always helped others and we’re both still working.

‘Every day when I come to work my boss asks me: “Why are you here?”

‘I just tell him that I was hired to do a job and I’m not going to abandon anyone just because I won.

‘We’ll both retire in time, but we believe in being good to the community that has been so good to us.’