01 March 2023 , 18:02
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A couple were left stunned after a lottery ticket left in their coat pocket turned out to be a life-changing $1million (£831,210).
Ana Elizalde, 51, from Lansing, Michigan, US, bought a Powerball ticket and told her husband to keep hold of the ticket ahead of the draw.
However, she never got round to checking the results until her husband found the ticket in his coat pocket a week later.
Fortunately, he didn't empty his pockets because it turned out to be a huge prize.
Ana said: “I purchased a Powerball ticket as usual, and I gave it to my husband to hold on to.
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“A week after the drawing, my husband found the ticket in his coat pocket and realised we had never checked it.”
The couple took the lottery ticket to a local shop to scan it and were given a seven-number shock.
The husband and wife were told to make a claim due to the prize they had won - which left them in complete shock.
The winning ticket was purchased at Sav-Way Food Centre (Jam Press)Ana said: “We went to the store to scan it and got a message to file a claim.
“When we checked the numbers online and realised we'd won $1 million (£831,210), we were in shock.”
Ana has been regularly playing the lottery and had always believed one day she would win - and this time she was right.
She added: “We always had a feeling this day would come and now that it's here, it feels surreal.”
However, the 51-year-old won't be going overboard with the winnings and she plans to spend the money wisely before splashing the cash.
Ana said some of the prize money will be used for her children’s education and to pay off loans while the rest will go into their savings account.
She said she bought her winning ticket at the Sav-Way Food Center on West Michigan Avenue in Lansing.
Woman plays lottery on 'tough day' during her break - ends up winning $100,000
The Powerball ticket was found inside their coat pocket (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Last month, a woman having “a tough day” scooped over £83,000 on the lottery.
Jamila McCaskill won $100,000 (£83,105) on Michigan Lottery’s Diamond Payout instant game online.
She told lottery officials: “I was having a tough day and took a break to relax.
“I logged in to the Lottery app to do my Daily Spin to Win and then decided to play some games.
“This is by far the largest prize I have ever won, and it feels amazing!”