Shelese Clay of Fayetteville is starting summer on a sweet note after winning $1 million playing $5,000 Loaded.

Clay, an Army vet, bought the lucky ticket Sunday at the Circle V Mart on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville. The $10 game had brought Clay luck before, but never this big.

“I had actually just won $50 playing the same game,” said Clay. “So I decided to use that win to play again, and one of those tickets was the $1 million winner!”

Clay claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. Winners have the option to receive a $1 million annuity over 20 years or take a lump sum of $600,000. Clay chose the lump sum. After required state and federal withholdings, she took home $425,503.

A recent business administration graduate at Fayetteville State University, Clay plans to invest her winnings and maybe take a trip with her family.

“I want to save and grow this money,” she said. “But we also want to do something fun. We might go to Disney World!”

The $5,000 Loaded ticket launched in May, with four top prizes of $1 million. Clay won the first top prize. Three more top prizes remain to be claimed.

Ticket sales from games like $5000 Loaded make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how $22.6 million in lottery funds made a difference in Cumberland County last year, visit the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.