**BREAKING: Michigan Man’s Life Turned Upside Down After Thinking Lottery Jackpot Win Was Prank, Only to Realize It Was Actually Real**
In a bizarre incident that has left residents of Smalltown, Michigan, scratching their heads, 32-year-old local resident, Jerry Johnson, was left reeling after he thought he had won the $350 million lottery jackpot… only to realize it was actually a clever prank… or so he thought.
According to sources close to the Johnson family, Jerry was at his local convenience store, buying a lottery ticket on a whim, when he matched all six numbers. Overcome with excitement, he rushed to the counter to claim his prize, only to be met with a store clerk who was allegedly “too busy” to process his win.
“I thought it was just a joke, you know?” Jerry said in an exclusive interview. “I mean, who wins the lottery, right? I was like, ‘This has got to be a prank.’ I even asked the clerk if he was playing a trick on me, but he just shrugged and said I should check my ticket again.”
Little did Jerry know, his life was about to take a dramatic turn. After a series of phone calls and visits to the lottery office, it was confirmed that he had indeed won the massive jackpot.
However, in a shocking twist, Jerry’s excitement was short-lived, as he began to doubt the win once again. “I thought maybe I had somehow tricked myself into thinking I won,” he confessed. “I mean, I’ve seen those ‘gotcha’ videos on YouTube, right? I didn’t want to be that guy.”
It took a team of lottery officials, a parade in his honor, and a personalized cake that read “Congratulations, Jerry!” to finally convince him that his win was, in fact, real.
When asked what he plans to do with his newfound fortune, Jerry, still in a daze, replied, “Uh, I think I’ll buy a few more lottery tickets… just to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
The Michigan Lottery Commission has since offered Jerry a complimentary “I’m a Millionaire” survival kit, complete with a reality check and a map to the nearest therapist.
In related news, local businesses are reporting a surge in “I’m-rich-and-I-can’t-believe-it” t-shirt sales.
