LANSING, July 15, 2008 - A very lucky man claimed a $500,000 prize on the Lottery's brand new Games Galore instant game.

The regular Lottery player went to the Lottery's Sterling Heights office, thinking he had won a $1,000 prize. Little did he know he was holding a half-a-million dollar ticket! He claimed the prize today at Lottery Central in Lansing.

He plans to use the prize money to pay for his daughter's college, pay bills, and take a vacation.

The winning ticket was purchased at Mainstreet Liquor, 243 E. 14 Mile Rd., in Clawson.

Games Galore is just one of many Michigan Lottery instant tickets available at nearly 11,000 Lottery retailers statewide.

Over 95 cents of every dollar spent on Lottery tickets is returned to the state in the form of contributions to the state School Aid Fund, prizes to players and commissions to retailers. In fiscal year 2007, the contribution to schools was $748.9 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $14.3 billion to education in Michigan.

For additional information, please visit the Lottery's Web site at www.michigan.gov/lottery.