RALEIGH – Vernard Jones stopped Monday morning to buy a soda at the Quick ‘N E-Z on West Trade Street in Charlotte. While there, he bought four Mega Bucks tickets for $5 each. As the Charlotte resident scratched off the second ticket, he found out he won big.
“I was like ‘Wow, I just won $100,000,’” Jones recalled. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Jones beat odds of 1 in 645,000 to win the top Mega Bucks prize. After required state and federal withholdings, he received a check for $69,201. Jones said he will use some of his prize money to buy a new car.
“That’s luck,” Jones said. “It’s a blessing.”
Ticket sales for games such as Mega Bucks have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.19 billion for education programs statewide. For details on how more than $254.5 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Mecklenburg County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.