Friend's phone call tips man off to $271,601 lottery jackpot

Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A Michigan man said a phone call from a friend tipped him off to the fact that he had won a $271,601 lottery jackpot.

The Bay County man told Michigan Lottery officials he bought his Fantasy 5 ticket for the Sept. 7 drawing from Larry's Corner Lounge in Pinconning.

The man said the ticket remained in his truck until the day after the drawing.

"I got a call from my co-worker the day after the drawing asking me if I had bought a ticket at Larry's," the player recalled. "He told me a jackpot winning ticket had been bought at that store, so I went running to my truck to grab my ticket. I looked my ticket over, and I couldn't believe I was holding the winner!"

The man's ticket matched all five numbers in the drawing, 14-19-21-34-36, earning him the $271,601 jackpot.

The winner said his prize money will go toward paying bills and giving a boost to his savings.