Nha Thi Hien Duong of Charlotte is celebrating after she played Hit $5,000 and won $1 million.
Her good fortune happened when she stopped by Den’s Mart on The Plaza in Charlotte and bought the $10 scratch-off ticket.
She claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. She had the choice of taking an annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $423,009.
The Hit 5,000 launched in July with five top prizes of $1 million. Three top prizes remain.
Ticket sales from games like Hit $5,000 make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds are making a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.