![Lucky Man, 94, Wins $300,000 Lottery on His Birthday](http://townsquare.media/site/341/files/2017/03/Ervin.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Lucky Man, 94, Wins $300,000 Lottery on His Birthday
Happy birthday, indeed.
Ervin Smolinski, of South Branch, Mich., won $300,000 playing a lottery ticket for his 94th birthday from his daughter-in-law.
Smolinski, who served in World War Two and celebrated his big day on March 17, says giving lottery tickets is nothing new in the family:
Every month, I buy some instant tickets and send them as gifts to family members who have birthdays that month. It’s turned in to a bit of a tradition, and now everyone sends me scratch offs and chocolate for my birthday.”
So, what does a man 94 years young plan to do with his new windfall? Smolinski has no desire to blow through all this green like an NBA draft pick who just got a signing bonus: he says he's going to make some investments, buy a new shed and a car -- a used car.
“I’m pretty frugal, I always shop sales and take care of my money and that won’t change. The only thing that will change is I won’t have as much stress in my life worrying about money,” Smolinski said.
More From Cool 98.7 FM
![The Best Steakhouse In North Dakota According to Thrillist](http://townsquare.media/site/505/files/2017/03/STEAK.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![COOL Photo of the Week Contest Winner for March 24](http://townsquare.media/site/503/files/2017/03/Christina-Traeger.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Kip Attaway Performs Song About Donald Trump’s Hair on Cool 98.7](http://townsquare.media/site/503/files/2017/03/kip-attaway.png?w=980&q=75)
![Bismarck Mayor: Don’t Murder Anyone Until After April 4](http://townsquare.media/site/503/files/2017/03/RS2668_91615624-scr.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Boston Pays Tribute to Late Drummer Sib Hashian](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2017/03/Boston-Brad-Delp-Tom-Scholz-Epic-Records.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
![See Some of the Cutest Puppies In Bismarck-Mandan](http://townsquare.media/site/504/files/2017/03/Phelps_Feature.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Weekend Events Around Bis-Man This Weekend](http://townsquare.media/site/505/files/2017/03/cj.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![2017’s Fattest Cities in America Are a Lesson in Portion Control](http://townsquare.media/site/341/files/2017/03/Fat.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Dion Announces Release of 52-Year-Old ‘Lost’ Album](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2017/03/DionLostAlbum_feature.jpg?w=980&q=75)