$19M winner still unknown

The  Michigan Lottery is still waiting to hear from the lucky player who won $19 million in the February 5 Mega Millions drawing. Lottery officials say the winning ticket was purchased at Festival Foods on M26 in Houghton but the winner must go to Lottery headquarters in Lansing to claim the prize.

In a light-hearted press release today, incorporating items and businesses across the region, the Lottery released the following:

If the winner heads back to Houghton with the new-found wealth, he or she can do some serious shopping around town.
…If the winner needs equipment to handle the elements in a place that sees some serious
snowfall, 950,000 shovels should do the trick.

…Or maybe the winner prefers getting the job done faster with 15,800 snowblowers from Swift True Value Hardware.

…The winner can keep warm during all that outdoor activity with 119,497 pairs of Carhart
coveralls from Surplus Outlet Inc.

…Some relaxation would be in order after all that work. How about 3,000 saunas for the
home or backyard?

…For winter fun, Houghton Powersports can sell the winner nearly 1,400 2013-Ski Doo
Summit 800 E-TEC snowmobiles. Or how about 8,636 snow bikes from Down Wind
Sports?

…Maybe the lucky player enjoys ice fishing. A $19 million jackpot can buy 678,571 annual
fishing licenses from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and 95,000 shanties.
Looking ahead to the summer months, how about a cottage or two?

…Maybe Statewide Real Estate in Houghton could help the winner purchase 38,000 feet of frontage on beautiful Lake Superior.

…Don’t forget that the winner and his or her family and friends have to eat. Will 3,089,000 large pasties from Roy’s Pasties and Bakery be enough to feed them?

…Perhaps the winner is making plans to head off to college. He or she could take along
nearly 740 close friends so they could be together for their freshman year at Michigan
Tech.

…The lucky player can take the annuity option and receive the $19 million over 26 years, or he or she can elect to take the one-time cash payout of $13.9 million. Taxes are deducted from both prize amounts.

…The winner has some time to think about how to spend that money. The prize does not have to be claimed until one year from the draw date, according to the Michigan Lottery.

…And if the person continues to play the Michigan Lottery and the good fortune strikes
again, he or she will have enough money to cross the Mackinac Bridge and return back to
the UP over 2.3 million times to collect prizes in Lansing!