Look-alike actor from movie inspires Michigan man to buy lottery ticket, wins $500,000

Apr 24, 2024, 9:14 am (22 comments)

Michigan Lottery

No better sign to buy a lottery ticket than a big win from a fictional doppelganger

By Kate Northrop

FLINT, Mich. — A Michigan man won $500,000 in the lottery after identifying with an actor look-alike, whose character bought a lottery ticket in a movie.

Most lottery winners have a fun story to accompany their prize claim, and one Michigan man's reason for buying a ticket is as unique as they come.

This 26-year-old winner, who chose to remain anonymous, said that he was inspired by a fictional character who bought a lottery ticket in a movie. This character was being portrayed by an actor who happened to look just like him, and so what better sign to play the lottery in real life?

"I was watching a movie, and the main character won big on a lottery ticket," the Genesee County man told the Michigan Lottery. "The main character was my look-alike, so I took it as a sign to go buy a ticket."

He visited the E-Z Stop Food Mart on North Saginaw Street in Flint, where he picked out a $5 "Lucky No. 13 scratch-off ticket, which offers a top prize of $500,000.

"Later that day, I was with some friends and scratched the ticket," the player continued. "When I saw I'd won $500,000, I couldn't believe my eyes! I wanted to make sure what I was seeing was real before sharing the news with my friends, so I went into the bathroom to look the ticket over again. Once I confirmed what I was seeing, I called my girlfriend to tell her the good news. I feel so blessed to win this amount of money!"

He visited Lottery headquarters in Lansing to claim his winnings, which he'll use to take care of his children and go on vacation.

There is currently one $500,000 top prize left to claim out of the three originally available in the $5 "Lucky No. 13" scratch-off game, which launched in April 2023. Two out of ten second-tier prizes of $2,000 and 108 out of 460 third-tier prizes of $500 are also still available.

The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 4.02.

According to the Lottery, players have won more than $23 million playing "Lucky No. 13" alone, and there are over $8 million in total prizes remain. Michigan lottery players won more than $1.7 billion playing scratch-off games in 2023.

News story photo(Click to display full-size in gallery)

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

LottoBux's avatarLottoBux

As good a reason as any, I suppose

 Worked out well for him...Congrats

 Never said if the look-alike won on their ticket though

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

congrats to the young man & glad he was smart enough to remain anonymous

👍 

I'm curious as to read which movie included his doppelganger

list of lottery related movies

Brock Lee's avatarBrock Lee

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Apr 24, 2024

congrats to the young man & glad he was smart enough to remain anonymous

👍 

I'm curious as to read which movie included his doppelganger

list of lottery related movies

he must look like kristen wiig.

sully16's avatarsully16

Quote: Originally posted by Brock Lee on Apr 24, 2024

he must look like kristen wiig.

Glad he didn't look like Ned Stark, congrats to the lucky guy.🥳

Onelast8

I am going to say Nicholas Cage his character bought a New York Lotto ticket but also it could be John Travolta I think his was a Michigan Lotto but then again it might be Jason Lee "My Name Is Earl" was based off him buying a scratch off ticket and he has been in some movies too, those just jumped out at me and don't forget about Luke Combs "When It Rains It Pours" Video. But I am sure someone else could come up with a few more.

Lotterologist's avatarLotterologist

Quote: Originally posted by LottoBux on Apr 24, 2024

As good a reason as any, I suppose

 Worked out well for him...Congrats

 Never said if the look-alike won on their ticket though

He did.

Lotterologist's avatarLotterologist

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Apr 24, 2024

congrats to the young man & glad he was smart enough to remain anonymous

👍 

I'm curious as to read which movie included his doppelganger

list of lottery related movies

I believe the movie was entitled, "Lottery Ticket".

Lotterologist's avatarLotterologist

Quote: Originally posted by Onelast8 on Apr 24, 2024

I am going to say Nicholas Cage his character bought a New York Lotto ticket but also it could be John Travolta I think his was a Michigan Lotto but then again it might be Jason Lee "My Name Is Earl" was based off him buying a scratch off ticket and he has been in some movies too, those just jumped out at me and don't forget about Luke Combs "When It Rains It Pours" Video. But I am sure someone else could come up with a few more.

I believe the actor in question is called "Bow Wow".

I have no idea what his real name is. 

Anyway, congratulations to the winner!

I wish you success and continued good luck!

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by Onelast8 on Apr 24, 2024

I am going to say Nicholas Cage his character bought a New York Lotto ticket but also it could be John Travolta I think his was a Michigan Lotto but then again it might be Jason Lee "My Name Is Earl" was based off him buying a scratch off ticket and he has been in some movies too, those just jumped out at me and don't forget about Luke Combs "When It Rains It Pours" Video. But I am sure someone else could come up with a few more.

GMTA LOL

'cause thats the movie I was thinking about LOL

Lotterologist's avatarLotterologist

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Apr 24, 2024

GMTA LOL

'cause thats the movie I was thinking about LOL

Bow Wow was in his 20's when he made the movie entitled, "Lottery Ticket".

According to the news story, the winner is 26.

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by Lotterologist on Apr 24, 2024

I believe the actor in question is called "Bow Wow".

I have no idea what his real name is. 

Anyway, congratulations to the winner!

I wish you success and continued good luck!

Shad Gregory Moss better known as Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow ) is an American rapper and actor

Lotterologist's avatarLotterologist

Quote: Originally posted by hearsetrax on Apr 24, 2024

Shad Gregory Moss better known as Bow Wow (formerly Lil' Bow Wow ) is an American rapper and actor

Thank you. I'm not into hiphop, modern sitcoms (other than "Married With Children" and a few others), and i'll never watch a Tyler Perry movie, but I think i'm familiar with that area of Flint, Michigan where the winning ticket was bought. If my memory serves me correctly, that used to be an area of drug dealers and prostitution. It's been many years since I rode down North Saginaw.

Oh, and I don't recommend the movie, "Lottery Ticket" to anybody.

Outside of his ticket winning, I don't remember anything else.

zephbe's avatarzephbe

Quote: Originally posted by LottoBux on Apr 24, 2024

As good a reason as any, I suppose

 Worked out well for him...Congrats

 Never said if the look-alike won on their ticket though

"I was watching a movie, and the main character won big on a lottery ticket,"

hearsetrax's avatarhearsetrax

Quote: Originally posted by Lotterologist on Apr 24, 2024

Thank you. I'm not into hiphop, modern sitcoms (other than "Married With Children" and a few others), and i'll never watch a Tyler Perry movie, but I think i'm familiar with that area of Flint, Michigan where the winning ticket was bought. If my memory serves me correctly, that used to be an area of drug dealers and prostitution. It's been many years since I rode down North Saginaw.

Oh, and I don't recommend the movie, "Lottery Ticket" to anybody.

Outside of his ticket winning, I don't remember anything else.

to each his/her/it's own I reckon

of course, I still laugh at most of the old shows that include: Sanford & son and some of other great classics from back in the day 

I thank God every day for the few and many nostalgic TV channels like METV and the others

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