U.P. woman wins $500K
LANSING, March 28, 2013 – Kaleena LaBine of Marquette drove over 400 miles with family and friends to Lottery Headquarters in Lansing on March 13 to claim her $500,000 prize. Kaleena LaBine of Marquette claiming $500,000 from Michigan Lottery Instant ticket $500,000 Money Maker™ .
her mother Dayle, fiancé Anthony, friend Jessica and her sister Kyla.
(Photo Courtesy of the Michigan Lottery.)
LaBine 24, purchased her winning $500,000 Money Maker™ Instant ticket from the Quik Food Mart #6 located at 338 W. Washington St. in Marquette. LaBine originally thought that the ticket was a $5000 winner and was ecstatic over the windfall.
However, after showing it to her fiancé, he quickly corrected her, “You didn’t win five grand, you won $500,000!”
With a June wedding already planned, LaBine now intends on taking an “awesome honeymoon!” Other top priorities for her new found wealth include buying a new car, paying off student loans and putting the rest away for the future.
The Upper Peninsula has been a hot spot for Michigan Lottery winners this year. In late February, the winning Mega Millions ticket from February 5 drawing, with a jackpot of $19 million, was claimed by Judy Juntunen of Atlantic Mine.
According to the Michigan Lottery, more than 97 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of
contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2012, the contribution to schools was a record $778.4 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed over $17 billion to education in Michigan.