A LOTTERY ticket wedding favor is a thrilling send-off gift for guests after the wedding.

But in this story, it was the wedding couple that got the better postnuptial deal.

A Livingston County man's wedding happiness turned into financial bliss when he won $1 million the day after his wedding.

It began when he bought a $10 ticket in the Michigan Lottery’s Diamond & Pearls game.

The 57-year-old player purchased his lucky ticket at the E-Z Mart on West Houghton Lake Drive in Prudenville, a town roughly 30 miles south of Grayling.

Then the couple’s post-wedding day celebration took an unexpected turn when they scratched off the ticket.

"I bought the ticket the day after my wedding and gave it to my wife to scratch," the delighted man, who had opted for anonymity, recalled.

The size of the prize left them in utter astonishment.

He said, "When she revealed the ‘$1 MIL’ prize amount, we were in disbelief.”

“We kept reading the instructions over and over again to make sure we really won. It was an exciting couple of days for us!"

The fortunate winner didn’t wait long to claim his prize, visiting the Michigan Lottery headquarters soon after to secure his winnings.

Faced with the choice between an annuity and a one-time payout, he chose the lump sum, walking away with a hefty amount of approximately $693,000 before taxes.

As for what comes next, the winner has his eyes set on investing the windfall.

Popular Game

The Diamonds & Pearls game, which debuted in August, has become a popular choice among lottery enthusiasts.

Players have scooped up more than $14 million in winnings since its launch.

But the game still has plenty to offer, with over $37 million in prizes yet to be claimed, including two more $1 million top prizes and several $2,000 prizes.

In 2022, Michigan's instant games paid out over $1.7 billion to players.

With more than 10,500 retailers offering Lottery games across the state, the next big winner could be anyone—perhaps even another newlywed!