Michigan man wins $2 million after playing Powerball "on a whim"

A Michigan man is a millionaire after playing the lottery "on a whim." 

Zach Birchmeier, of Fowler, Michigan, won a $1 million prize in the Michigan Lottery's Sept. 23 Powerball drawing. He also played the Power Play, which doubled his winnings. The Power Play applies to any non-jackpot prize, the Michigan Lottery said, up to $2 million. 

"I don't usually play Powerball, but I decided to buy a ticket on a whim while I was online," said Birchmeier, according to a news release from the Michigan Lottery. "After the drawing, I saw an email from the Lottery with instructions on claiming my prize. When I logged in to my account and saw $2 million pending, I was in shock!" 

Birchmeier, 31, said that the win still feels "surreal." He said he plans to build a home and make some investments with his winnings. 

Michigan residents have had some lottery luck in 2023. 

Just this year, 12 separate million-dollar Powerball tickets have been sold in the state, according to CBS Detroit. In Detroit alone, four million-dollar Powerball tickets have been sold since 2012. It's not just Powerball winners, either: Just recently, CBS Detroit reported that a 61-year-old woman won $2 million in the Michigan Lottery's Magnificent 7s instant game. 

The current Powerball jackpot stands at $1.4 billion. The next drawing will take place on Saturday evening. This Powerball jackpot has made history as the first time back-to-back jackpot runs have generated grand prizes exceeding $1 billion, CBS Detroit reported on Wednesday. The last Powerball jackpot winner, from California, won $1.08 billion. 

In:
• Powerball
• Michigan Lottery
• Lottery
• Michigan

Kerry Breen

Kerry Breen is a news editor and reporter for CBS News. Her reporting focuses on current events, breaking news and substance use.