Henry Ford of Walnut Cove became the state’s first big Lucky for Life winner, beating the odds of 1.8 million to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 a year for life.

Ford, a truck driver, was on his way to get lunch Monday when he decided to check his lottery tickets and use any winnings to buy food. When the clerk told him he had a winning ticket from Monday’s Lucky for Life drawing he couldn’t believe his good luck.

“I put my hands up in the air and started screaming,” Ford said. “When I told my son, he fell to the floor.”

The 55-year-old claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. Winners of for life prizes are guaranteed $25,000 a year for life. The winner also has the option of taking a cash payout of $390,000. Ford chose the cash option. After federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $269,544. He plans to use the money to pay bills.

Ford bought the $2 Quick Pick ticket at the Pop Shoppe on West Friendly Avenue in Greensboro. He won the $25,000 a year for life prize by matching all five white balls.

Lucky for Life launched in February and is North Carolina’s third multi-state draw game. In all there are 10 ways to win a prize playing the game. The top prize is $1,000 a day for the rest of your life.

Ticket sales from games like Lucky 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 $19.2 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Stokes County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.