RALEIGH – Jonathan Osborne, a small business owner from Granite Falls, was on his way home from work Friday afternoon when he stopped to purchase gas and a few lottery tickets. After he finished pumping his gas, he said he sat in his truck and scratched off the $1 million top prize on his The Color of Money ticket.

“I looked at it four times,” Osborne said. “I was shocked. It was like a dream to see those numbers in front of me.”

Osborne purchased his lucky $10 ticket at the Jack B Quick service station on Falls Avenue in Granite Falls. He plans to use his winnings to invest, save for his children’s college education and take a family trip to Disney World.

“I always like to think I’m going to win,” Osborne said as he collected his check Monday afternoon. “This time I don’t know if it was hope or confidence. It just feels awesome.”

Winners of $1 million in the game have the option of claiming it in $50,000 payments as a 20-year annuity or a one-time lump sum of $600,000. Osborne took the cash payment and received a check for $415,203 after state and federal taxes were withheld.

“It really didn’t set in until I came here to claim it today,” Osborne said as he looked at his big check. “The dream has become a reality.”

The Color of Money game went on sale Jan. 7 with five top prizes of $1 million. As of Monday afternoon, two more top prizes remain to be claimed.

Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.4 billion for the state. Net proceeds are used for prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction, digital learning initiatives, need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

For details on how more than $21.3 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Caldwell County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.