Tracy Monk of Pfafftown knew instantly that he and his wife were going to be much more comfortable in their retirement after playing a scratch-off ticket for a $1 million prize.

The moment came on Wednesday at 4 Brothers Food Store on Yadkinville Highway in Pfafftown. Monk was on his way home from work when he thought he’d stop to buy a ticket. He normally plays Powerball and Mega Millions a couple times a week but opted for the $300,000,000 Supreme Riches scratch-off ticket this time.

He immediately sent his wife a picture of the winning ticket with the message: “Our lives are gonna change.”

“It still hasn’t set in,” he said. “I took it in to show it to the guys, but held onto it the whole time.”

The utilities worker said he plans to use the money to pay off some bills and save for a comfortable retirement.

Monk 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. He chose the lump sum. After federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $424,509.

The $30 ticket launched in April with four top prizes of $10 million and six $1 million prizes. Two $10 million prizes and three $1 million prizes remain to be won.

Players can win one of the $1 million prizes instantly, as Monk did, or by entering their $300,000,000 Supreme Riches tickets into second-chance drawings. The drawings also offer one $1 million prize, four $10,000 prizes, and 50 $200 prizes. The entry deadline for the remaining third and fourth drawings have not been set.

Ticket sales from games like $300,000,000 Supreme Riches make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.