A stop at a gas station turned into the ultimate $1 million win for Charles Hunt of Fayetteville after he decided to play Ultimate Millions instead of his regular scratch-off game.
“I just got lucky this time,” Hunt said.
He normally gets the $1 scratch-off tickets, but decided to get the $30 ticket on a whim.
Hunt claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $1 million annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. Hunt chose the lump sum, and after federal and state tax withholdings received $415,509. He plans to use the money to pay bills and help his family.
Hunt bought the lucky ticket at the Happy Mart 3 on West Broad St. Pauls in Robeson County.
The game launched in September with four top prizes of $10 million and 18 top prizes of $1 million. Three prizes of $10 million remain and 10 prizes of $1 million remain.
Ticket sales from games like Ultimate Millions 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 $155 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Cumberland County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.