A 79-year-old Kalamazoo woman turned $20 worth of Mega Millions tickets into a $3 million payday. 

Carol Bukunt's winning ticket matched the five white balls with a 3X multiplier — 01-08-11-12-57 — in the Nov. 14, 2025, Mega Millions drawing. 

The 79-year-old bought her winning ticket at a Marathon gas station, located at 4421 West Centre Avenue in Portage, according to the Michigan Lottery. 

"My husband and I buy Mega Millions tickets every once in a while when the jackpot is up there," said Bukant in a statement. "Since the jackpot was getting close to $1 billion, we decided to buy $20 worth of tickets. The next morning, my husband checked them, and we were both shaky and excited when we thought we'd won $1 million. Shortly after, we realized we had a 3X multiplier and actually won $3 million. It was amazing."

Bukant plans to save her winnings. 

Each Mega Millions ticket costs $5 and includes a built-in multiplier that multiplies non-jackpot prizes up to 10 times to a maximum of $10 million. Residents in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands can play Mega Millions.