RALEIGH – Perry Greene, a resident of Lawndale in Cleveland County, plans to pay bills with the $1 million prize he scratched off on his Maximum Green ticket.

“I felt like my blood pressure went directly to my feet,” Greene said. “I have been playing since the lottery launched, so I guess it was just my time. As of tomorrow, I will be completely out of debt. This feels wonderful.”

The Maximum Green game allows players who scratch the top prize to choose between a 20-year annuity or take a discounted lump sum cash prize of $600,000.

After choosing the lump sum option, Greene received a payment of $408,003, after taxes were withheld. He purchased the winning ticket at the Stagecoach Markets on West Stagecoach Trail in Lawndale.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Maximum Green game has six $1 million top prizes remaining to be claimed.

Since the lottery began through June 30, 2011, Cleveland County education programs received more than $24.3 million in lottery funds. By law, those funds pay for teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction, need-based college scholarships and prekindergarten programs.