Valerie Williams nearly let a life-changing moment go to voicemail. The 65-year-old Westland, Michigan, resident had been scanning her non-winning Electric Family scratch-off tickets using the Michigan Lottery mobile app, mostly to double-check results. What she didn’t realize was that every scan also generated entries into the Electric Giveaway, a built-in second-chance promotion tied to the game.
Days after scanning her losing tickets into the app, a call from “Michigan Lottery” flashed on her phone. Assuming it was a scam, she hesitated, then answered to be sure. On the line was an invitation: Williams had been randomly selected as one of five finalists for a live, in-stadium $1,000,000 Electric Giveaway at Detroit’s Comerica Park.
“I was scanning my Electric tickets on the app to check them, but it wasn’t until a few days later that I realized I earned entries,” she told lottery officials. The call set off a whirlwind: scheduling, nerves, and a trip to the ballpark, where a giant prize wheel would decide whether the woman who almost ignored the phone would become a millionaire.
A Stadium Spin Turns Green Into Gold
On September 19, during a Detroit Tigers–Atlanta Braves game, Williams and the other four finalists were each assigned a color on a giant prize wheel staged to spin between innings.
Williams drew green.
As the crowd buzzed and cameras rolled, the wheel clacked past color after color, slowed, and made one last dramatic click onto green. Just like that, the near-missed call turned into a seven-figure payday.
All I kept thinking to myself was: ‘No way!’ It was a great feeling and I’m still in shock,” Williams said afterward.
Michigan Lottery Commissioner Suzanna Shkreli publicly congratulated her on the “big win in front of a huge crowd at Comerica Park,” adding that more second-chance opportunities are coming for players.
The Electric Giveaway is tied to the Electric Family game, which the lottery says has already awarded $74 million since launching in June. For Williams, the mechanics were simple: scan, enter, show up, and hope the wheel lands where Luck points.
What Comes After a Million-Dollar Surprise
Williams said she is moving carefully while the reality sinks in. “I haven’t made any big plans with the money yet because I’m still trying to get things figured out,” she told officials. She and her husband do plan to use a portion of the prize for a long-awaited vacation, but otherwise, she’s taking time before making major decisions.
Her story shows how modern lotteries use mobile apps to build engagement: scanning “losers” isn’t only about verification anymore, it’s often an automatic ticket to a second-chance drawing.
Williams nearly let that call pass. Instead, she picked up, said yes to the invitation, and watched a stadium wheel choose her color. The moment turned a routine app habit into a life-changing payout. From disbelief to gratitude, her summary remains simple: answer the call, take the chance, and let the wheel decide.
Source: Michigan Lottery Connect
