Perch's IGA Sells $6 Million Ticket

Luck struck at Perch's IGA in early March when they sold a winning lottery ticket with a whopping $6 million jackpot to a woman from Alpena County, Michigan. 

"I scratched the barcode right away and scanned it on the lottery machine. I got a message to file a claim at the lottery office, so I scratched the ticket to see what I'd won. When I saw I had won the $6 million prize, my eyes got big, and I stood there in shock,” the player told CBS News Detroit. “I took the ticket home to have my husband look it over and confirm what I was seeing. We called our family and friends right after to tell them the exciting news!"

Store owner Julie Curtis couldn’t believe the news when she got a peculiar notification on her phone.

“Actually, a friend texted me and said, 'Congratulations!' That was the first time I've heard of it,” she said. “I went on the state lottery website and it did show a $6 million ticket sold at Perch’s IGA. And then I reached out to our state lottery rep to confirm it was true.”

The jackpot was won with a $50 Michigan Lottery instant ticket. CBS News reported that the woman chose to receive the money as a one-time lump sum payment of about $4.1 million.

Prior to this jackpot, Perch’s IGA was already on a roll of selling lucky tickets, as they sold a $3,000 and $10,000 winning ticket in February. The lottery rep told Curtis he believes it was the largest jackpot ever sold in Alpena County.

Perch's IGA received a $2,000 commission on the $6 million prize. Curtis and her husband Harry, store co-owner, decided to pass on the luck to their employees by buying them each $50 worth of different lottery tickets.

The Lottery Commission issued a press release and word around town spread quickly. On March 24, Curtis said she noticed lottery ticket sales increased 20% in a span of two weeks.

 The winning ticket sold at Perch's IGA. 

In terms of advertising, Perch’s IGA has mentioned the news on Facebook. Residents will also find a note on the store’s digital billboard down the road sharing the winning ticket news. The lottery commission will be sending Perch’s IGA a big banner to advertise as well. 

The store has been selling lottery tickets for some time. When the Curtis' bought the store in 2012, it was already selling tickets. Perch’s IGA has been in the Alpena County community since the 1950s.