Michigan lottery players win big with Fantasy 5 jackpot

A group of Michigan lottery players have won a Fantasy 5 jackpot of $697,974, officials announced Friday.

Three players, including a man from Wayne County, a woman from Macomb County and a woman from Isabella County, split the July 12 jackpot after matching their tickets with the winning combination: 8-17-18-24-29, the Michigan Lottery said in a news release.

According to the statement, each player received $232,658.

David Constantakis of Wayne County bought his winning ticket at Family Fare on Forest Avenue in Frankfort, the winner told Michigan Lottery officials.

The 68-year-old man was on vacation there and headed to a canoe trip when he bought his tickets. His wife read the winning numbers online after the seller messaged him, he said.

“When she got to the last two numbers, she said, ‘If we get 24 and 29, we’re good to go!'” Constantakis said in the press release. “When I looked at the ticket and confirmed that those were my last two numbers, I was impressed!”

Constantakis plans to pay off his house, then donate and save the remaining money now that he has claimed his prize, he said.

The Macomb County woman who also won purchased her winning ticket at Groesbeck & Elizabeth Petro on Groesbeck Highway in Clinton Township.

According to the press release, she chose to remain anonymous.

The Isabella County woman, who also wishes to remain anonymous, purchased her ticket online through MichiganLottery.com.

The wins came a week after another Macomb County man claimed the Michigan Lottery’s largest Fantasy 5 prize ever, winning $963,040. It was the latest in a string of big Michigan Lottery claims in July.