RALEIGH – Rick and Mary Hollar of Hickory have many decisions to make after winning a $1 million prize playing $4,000,000 Cash Blowout. So far, they plan to pay off their mortgage, purchase two new cars and take a trip to Las Vegas.

“It hasn’t sunk in,” Mary said. “Until I see it in my account, and it will be like ‘Wow, it’s real.’ We are going to enjoy life and be debt-free.”

Mary, an accountant for a local car dealership, scratched the ticket at home and immediately texted her husband to share the good news.

“He couldn’t get through to me because my phone was blowing up,” Mary said. “The whole experience is just amazing. Now we’re going to get two new vehicles. He wants an FJ Cruiser and I’m looking at a Four Runner.”

Top prize winners in the Cash Blowout game have the option of claiming their prize as a 20 year annuity, or as a lump sum. The Hollars chose the $600,000 lump sum, which has an after-tax value of $408,006. Their winning ticket was purchased at Smoker Friendly on 29th Avenue in Hickory.

“We’re still going to work and everything else,” Mary added. “We’re going to help friends and family and have a comfortable life.”

As of Tuesday, two $4 million prizes and five $1 million prizes remain to be claimed in the $4,000,000 Cash Blowout game.

Through June 30 of last year, Catawba players won more than $67.4 million in lottery prizes. By law, lottery funds pay for teachers’ salaries, school construction, need-based college scholarships and prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds.

To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.2 billion for these initiatives statewide.