LANSING, August 21, 2002 -- A lucky South Branch woman won a boatload of money after scratching off a Michigan Lottery "Battleship" ticket to reveal a $50,000 top prize!

The winner, who requested anonymity, purchased the winning ticket at Lake Store & Resort, 7065 Jose Lake Road, in South Branch.

"I like playing the Battleship game so I picked up a few tickets on my way home one day," the winner said. "I was sitting at the kitchen table when I scratched them off. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I finished scratching off the top-prize winning ticket! I thought I must have scratched the wrong square somewhere on the ticket."

The lucky lady said she couldn’t believe she had a winning ticket, so she drove to the store where she purchased it to have the clerk at the store double-check the ticket for her.

"When I asked the clerk to double-check the ticket for me she was shocked too," the winner said. "When she told me it definitely was a winning ticket I started shaking and couldn’t stop! I went home right away and told my husband that we had just won $50,000. I still can’t believe I won. I never thought this would happen to me!"

The winner, who enjoys fishing in her free time, told Lottery officials that she plans to use her winnings to pay bills and buy new appliances for her home.

Prior to turning the winning ticket in at a Lottery bank claim center in northern Michigan, the winner said she kept it with her at all times to ensure its safety.

The winner, a retired government employee, encourages other Lottery hopefuls to "keep on playing!" She added, "You can’t win if you don’t play!"

"Battleship" is just one of many Michigan Lottery instant tickets available at more than 9,000 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide.

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