Joseph Duncan of Swannanoa is the first to celebrate a $1 million win off of the new Extreme Cash scratch-off game.

Duncan took a chance on the new $25 scratch-off ticket at the Black Mountain Quick Stop located off of U.S. Highway 70 in Black Mountain.

“I wasn’t sure at first that’d I’d won,” he said. “I just looked at it a little while.”

Once Duncan realized he was holding a lucky ticket worth $1 million, he knew exactly what he was going to do with his winnings.

“Help some people,” said Duncan. “Like my friends, my family.”

After his friends and family are taken care of, Duncan said he plans to buy some new hunting gear and maybe take a hunting trip.

Duncan claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking an annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $424,507.

Extreme Cash launched on this month with three $1 million top prizes. Two $1 million prizes remain to be won along with 10 $100,000 prizes.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games help the lottery raise more than $700 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.