$1 million payday is no fantasy for St. Michael man

Michael Thompson wants to become a sheriff's deputy. And a professional angler.

But for now he'll have to settle for being a millionaire.

Thompson, 33, of St. Michael, Minn., won $1 million Thursday in the FLW Fantasy Fishing contest, an international online fantasy game launched this year by Minneapolis businessman Irwin Jacobs.

"It's unbelievable," said Thompson, who won the top prize. "I never thought a million dollars would come my way."

He and his wife, Penny, plan to build a new house, buy a car and pay off the debt on his fishing boat. Thompson said he's an avid angler in the real world, too. He also hunts and plays fantasy football and fantasy NASCAR. He volunteers at the Wright County Sheriff's Department and plans to start law enforcement classes next week.

He edged 14 other finalists, who were flown this week to Columbia, S.C., where winners were named. They didn't do too bad, either. A truck, boats, cash and gift cards were among the $2.3 million in prizes awarded.

Among the 15 finalists was another Minnesotan, Jeff Nelson of New Brighton, who finished ninth, winning a $10,000 Walmart gift card.

Thompson's $1 million comes as a 10-year annuity. So how did he win big bucks in a fishing contest without wetting a line?

The FLW Fantasy Fishing season began in February with the start of the Walmart FLW Tour, a series of seven real fishing contests held around the country that are televised on FLW Outdoors.

Players selected 10 bass pros before each of the seven tournaments. They got points based on how those pro anglers finished.

Thompson accumulated the most points, correctly picking the winner of last week's season-ending championship.

"I just had a good run on the last tournament," he said. "That's what put me over the top."

The seven fantasy players who scored the most points for each tournament won $100,000, including Chris Toring, 37, of St. Michael, who won last March. Thompson watched the professionals on TV to help him decide his picks. While Fantasy Fishing is an online game, he said it will spur interest in real fishing.

"I think it will help," said Thompson, a stay-at-home dad who has two children. "It's a good way to get people into fishing. Nowadays there are a lot fewer kids hunting and fishing."