*Updated* Lottery Player Hits $550K Jackpot In Bemidji

A Bemidji man is more than $500,000 richer thanks to a lucky lottery ticket he purchased in Bemidji.

Michael Shelton Claims Lottery Prize (Courtesy: Minnesota Lottery)

Michael Shelton of Bemidji reportedly drove down to the Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville to claim the $549,000 prize today. His winning ticket matched all five numbers drawn in the Gopher 5 game. Shelton bought the ticket at the Orton’s Bemidji Cenex located at 555 Paul Bunyan Drive N.W. He’s a regular there and heard about the news this morning from the store manager.

Steve Knudson, a cashier at Orton’s Bemidji Cenex, says, “He came in and checked his ticket and it said, call the state lottery office, and went and showed my manager and she ran it. First of all, she said it was only $100,000, but it’s the big one – the $450,000 or whatever it is. So, he was pretty excited! He went outside and started hollering and hooping and hollering and jumping up and down.”

Another winning ticket, worth $30,000, was sold in Nisswa last night. Lottery players have up to a year to claim their prize. Winners should call the Lottery at 651-635-8273 (select option 2) to make arrangements to claim their prize.