Man buys $1M lottery ticket in Melvindale, forgets to check ticket for months

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Imagine going months without knowing you were a millionaire. They knew about it here at the 7-Eleven in Melvindale. In fact, it was the talk of the town.

"Everyone would come in and say, 'Has he come forward yet?'" says John Davis, a clerk at the store.

On June 21, 2016, someone's lucky numbers were called for the ticket bought at the 7-Eleven on Allen Road in Melvindale. The Mega Millions lottery ticket was sold to Edward Anderson of Dexter -- but he didn't know it until months later when he remembered to check his ticket. That ticket was worth a cool million dollars.

The store gets notified when large ticket gets sold, and they even get a cut of the winnings so long as the rightful owner comes forward.

For a while, it was looking like the mystery may never be solved. The lottery put out a news release two months ago saying it has been six months and no answer.

Now we've learned Michigan's newest millionaire has come forward to claim his prize in Lansing. Anderson said it was in his wallet this whole time, he just simply to forgot to check it.  As it happens, lotto tickets are good for up to a year.

Now, Davis can break the news to his loyal customers.

"I can tell everybody that somebody claimed it finally," he says. "I couldn't even imagine what that feels like and then to randomly check it and find out a million bucks. Yes, a million bucks."

While FOX 2 was at the store, one customer decided then and there to play the Lotto, thinking maybe some of that luck would rub off on him.

FOX 2: "Do you play the lottery often? "

"Usually if it gets real big," said Fred Dryers. "But I saw the commotion and thought, you never know."

He promised not to keep us in suspense if he comes up a big winner.