A Lapeer County man kicked off the new year by finding out he was a millionaire after winning a $1 million Powerball prize from the Michigan Lottery!
Robert Benaglio, of Dryden, matched the five white balls in the Dec. 23 drawing to win the big prize: 22-42-44-57-64. He bought his winning ticket at the Metamora BP, located at 3839 South Lapeer Road in Metamora. Dryden is about 35 miles east of Flint.
“I have bought a Powerball ticket for one drawing each week for 10 years,” said Benaglio. “I won the prize just before Christmas, but I didn’t know I was a big winner until I scanned the ticket on New Years Eve. The only word I can use to describe the feeling of finding out you’ve won $1 million is shocking. I think it’s finally starting to hit me and I’m just now believing that this is real!”
“In 2024, 10 Michigan Lottery players became millionaires playing the Powerball game, including a lottery club that won an $842.4 million jackpot,” said Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli. “Not only are these prizes impactful for the winners, but also for the retailers that sell them, many of which are local family-owned businesses, which get a commission for selling the winning ticket. Last year, retailers earned more than $348 million in commissions.”
Benaglio visited Lottery headquarters recently to claim his prize. With his winnings, he plans to pay off his vehicles, take a vacation, and then save the remainder.
“I still plan to continue my weekly ritual of buying a Powerball ticket,” said Benaglio. “I get $2 worth of daydreaming out of it each week, so why not?”