LOTTERY - Millions in cash given away on "Make Me Rich!"

Millions in cash given away on "Make Me Rich!"

Contact: Andi Brancato 517-335-5648

Agency: Lottery

David Cantrell - Grand Rapids - Make Me Rich! - Episode 6

LANSING, May 20, 2011 - Three lucky Michigan Lottery players won over $2.5 million in cash on the spring episode of "Make Me Rich!", the Lottery's game show. "Make Me Rich!", which aired on Thursday, was hosted by Christopher Knight, best known for his role as Peter Brady on the 1970s hit TV series "The Brady Bunch" and most recently as host of "Trivial Pursuit America Plays."

Gary Pline of Greenville was the lucky winner of $500,000 in the Tax-Free Winnings second-chance game. Other contestants participating included Kenneth Kerfoot of Ann Arbor and Ricky Wood of Caro, who each received a $5,000 appearance fee.

Dave Kennedy of Gobles was the grand prize winner of a 2011 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic Motorcycle in the Harley-Davidson second-chance game. Other contestants, who each received a $5,000 appearance fee, for participating in the show, included Christine Grivas of E. Hale and Nicholas Werner of Bay City.

David Cantrell of Grand Rapids was the lucky winner of a $2 million prize in the $20 Instant games $2,000,000 drawing. Additional contestants for the game included Michael Holmes of Grand Rapids, Florence Postema of Ravenna, Wallace Pinks of Plainwell, and Gerald Croshaw of Lowell. Each non-grand prize winning contestant received a $5,000 appearance fee.

Created by Hollywood's Jonathan Goodson Productions, "Make Me Rich!" airs new shows quarterly with a variety of exciting prizes. Christopher Knight will host future productions, with another show slated to air in the fall.

Contestants won the opportunity to appear on "Make Me Rich!," by winning cash prizes on Michigan Lottery Instant games, including $1,000 on the Lottery's $20 Instant games $2,000,000 drawing tickets. They also participated in the Tax-Free Winnings and Harley-Davidson second-chance drawings on the Michigan Lottery's player's club Web site, www.michiganlottery.com.

Anyone interested in being a future contestant can get more information by visiting www.michigan.gov/lotteryand clicking on "Make Me Rich!".

Over 94 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 2010, the contribution to schools was $701.3 million. Since its inception in 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $15 billion to education in Michigan.

For additional information, please visit the Lottery's Web site at www.michiganlottery.com.

"The Michigan Lottery. All across the state good things happen."