For aspiring chef Antonio Troutman of Statesville, his dream of opening a restaurant is closer to becoming reality after he won the top $5,000 A Week For Life! prize.

The 24-year-old was talking to his sister on the phone when he realized he won.

“I lost my voice and couldn’t speak, then I jumped out of the car and ran around” he said.

Troutman claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. The top prize is $5,000 a week for life. The guaranteed value of the prize is at least 20 years of payments to a winner or his designated estate. Top prize winners can also choose to claim their winnings as a lump sum with the cash value equal to the guaranteed prize amount. Troutman took the lump sum, which after required state and federal withholdings is $2,448,683.

Troutman was a manager at a fast food restaurant but wants to become a chef. He says he’ll use the money to go back to school and open his own restaurant. He also wants to pursue his singing and dancing career.

Troutman bought the $10 ticket at Samir’s on W. Front Street in Statesville.
The game launched in August 2012 with three top prizes. Troutman claimed the final top prize. When all top prizes are won, the lottery ends an instant game.

Ticket sales from games like $5,000 A Week For Life made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars for the state last year. For details on how more than $60.7 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Iredell County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” section of the lottery’s website.