Bay County Man Wins Fantasy 5 Jackpot

Larry Mielens (source: Michigan Lottery)

Purchasing a Fantasy 5 ticket on a whim paid off for a Bay County man when he won the game’s $157,721 jackpot. Larry Mielens, 58, of Munger, matched the Fantasy 5 numbers in the July 10 drawing to win the big prize: 08-12-21-31-34. He bought his winning ticket online at MichiganLottery.com.

“I play Fantasy 5 every so often, usually when the jackpot is more than $200,000,” said Mielens. “I bought this ticket on a whim. I had $11 in my account and decided to use it to buy a few tickets even though the jackpot was less than $200,000.

“The day after the drawing, I saw I had a prize notification email from the Lottery. I logged on to my account and thought I had won $157 dollars at first. When I realized I’d won the jackpot, I was shocked! It was a fantastic feeling!”

The Michigan Lottery said Mielens visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim the big prize. He told Lottery officials he plans to complete some home improvements and save the remainder of his winnings.