Mario Delgado of Winterville tried his luck on a $30 scratch-off ticket and became the first winner of a $5 million prize in a new lottery game.
Delgado bought his lucky 200X The Cash ticket from the Speedway on North Memorial Drive in Greenville.
When Delgado arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to collect his prize, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $250,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $3 million. He chose the lump-sum amount of $3 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $2,130,309.
The 200X The Cash game debuted in March with six top prizes of $5 million and 18 $100,000 prizes. Five $5 million prizes and 15 $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
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 $10 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Pitt County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.