Kent County man explains why he waited 11 months to cash $250K Keno winner

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A Kent County man has explained why he waited nearly 11 months to cash a Keno ticket worth more than $250,000.

The Michigan Lottery announced Wednesday that the winner has come forward to claim a prize from a Club Keno draw on April 30, 2023, at the Vitale’s Sports Lounge on West River Drive. The winner matched eight of the 20 numbers, good for $250,314 in winnings.

The anonymous winner told the lottery that he knew he had won but waited nearly 11 months before claiming the prize for tax purposes.

“It’s a relief to finally cash it,” the winner told the Michigan Lottery. “I was so nervous something was going to happen to the ticket, even though it was locked up in a safe spot. I have had the ticket for nearly a year and it still hasn’t hit me that this is real!”

Check your wallets: Mega Millions $1M winner set to expire

All Michigan Lottery prizes expire one year after the draw, so the winner had until April 30, 2024, to claim his winnings. According to Play Michigan, many jackpot winners take some time before claiming their big prize, hiring lawyers, financial advisors or accountants to help them handle their newfound riches. Others also use that time to form a trust or an LLC to claim the prize, instead.

A $1 million Mega Millions prize remains unclaimed from the March 17, 2023 draw. The winning ticket was sold at the CVS Pharmacy on West 10 Mile Road in Southfield. Because March 17 falls on a Sunday this year, that winner has until the close of business on Friday to claim their prize.

In Michigan, all unclaimed prize money goes is treated as Michigan Lottery profit and rolled into the School Aid Fund. The Michigan Lottery contributed more than $1.3 billion to the state’s School Aid Fund in the 2023 fiscal year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.