Woman Wins $500,000 Lottery Prize After Deciding to Cancel Vacation Plans: 'No One Could Believe'

Mar. 15, 2025

Traci Verbowski Michigan Lottery.Photo:Michigan Lottery

Michigan Lottery

One lucky woman is proving that canceled plans can lead to big wins.

Traci Verbowski, 50, of Kawkawlin, Mich., recently won $500,000 playing the Michigan Lottery’s Detroit Lions game after purchasing her ticket at a local 7-Eleven, which she decided to do only after foregoing a vacation.

“I really wanted to go on a vacation a few weekends ago, but we ended up staying home and went out to dinner that Saturday night instead,” Verbowski toldMichigan Lottery officials.

Afterward, “I remembered I had a few Detroit Lions winning tickets,” she said, “so I stopped to cash them and purchased some more. I put the [new] tickets in my purse until I got home later that night.”

Verbowski recounted her reaction when she realized she won the prize.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Traci Verbowski Michigan Lottery.Michigan Lottery

“When I scratched one of the tickets and saw I won $500,000, I yelled: ‘I think I just won a lot of money!’ " she said.

“I showed my family the ticket and no one could believe what they were seeing. I haven’t slept a full night since because I have been so anxious and excited to come claim my prize,” she continued.

Her takeaway?

“I’m so glad we ended up not going on vacation that weekend, because if we did, I wouldn’t be here claiming $500,000!” she said.

source: people.com