Bryan Lopez-Muruato of Clayton said he now sees a chance to start his own company one day with the help of a $1 million lottery prize.

“I’m really excited,” said Lopez-Muruato. “This really opens opportunities for me and for my family.”

Lopez-Muruato, 21, works as a construction worker for his father’s concrete company. With his winnings, he plans to invest in his father’s company and eventually start a concrete company of his own.

He bought his Millionaire Maker ticket from Circle K on Delta Lake drive in Raleigh. The ticket remained unscratched for about two weeks until Saturday when Lopez-Muruato finally found time to scratch it.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Lopez-Muruato. “I just kept rereading the ticket.”

When Lopez-Muruato arrived at lottery headquarters on Monday, he could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump-sum amount of $600,000 and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $426,069.

The Millionaire Maker game launched in March 2021. Lopez-Muruato became the 27th person to win one of the $1 million prizes.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 million per year for education. For details on how $14.5 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Johnston County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.