LANSING, March 26, 2002 – Michael Parski of Harrison Township is $150,000 richer after matching the first five numbers in the March 19 Big Game drawing! The winning numbers for that day’s drawing were: 17, 28, 31, 35, 37 and the Big Money Ball number was 7.

The winning "easy pick" Big Game ticket was purchased at D Brothers Party Store Inc. III, 39650 Jefferson Ave., in Harrison Township.

"I looked up the winning Big Game numbers in the Detroit Free Press," Parski said. "When I read them, I was so shocked and surprised to see that the numbers matched those on my ticket, I couldn’t stop shaking!"

Parski asked his wife to double-check the numbers on his ticket; then to make absolutely sure it was a winner, they checked the numbers on the Lottery’s Web site, www.michigan.gov/lottery, and finally took the ticket to the store where it was purchased for further verification. He said he kept the ticket in his wallet to ensure its safety before claiming his prize at Lottery headquarters in Lansing.

The lucky winner offered other Lottery players these words of encouragement: "You can’t win if you don’t play!"

Parski said he plans to use his winnings to start college funds for his children and to pay bills.

The Big Game is a multistate lottery game in Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. Wagers cost $1 each and tickets may be purchased at more than 7,000 Michigan Lottery retailers statewide.

Big Game drawings are conducted every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. The next Big Game drawing is tonight, (Tuesday) March 26, with an expected jackpot of $66 million.

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