Randy Boggs of Alexander said he couldn’t believe his luck after his $30 scratch-off resulted in a $100,000 win.

“It really didn’t seem real,” Boggs said. “I was kind of in denial for a couple days about it.”

Boggs, a retired paramedic, bought his lucky Millionaire Maker ticket from the Citistop on Weaverville Highway in Asheville. Boggs said his wife couldn’t believe that he won either.

“She just kept looking at it,” Boggs said, “but she finally came around.”

He collected his prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $71,019.

Boggs said he wants to use his winnings to pay off some bills, pay off his car, and put the rest in the bank for savings.

“With us both on retirement this is going to help out a whole lot,” Boggs said.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $2.5 million a day for education. For details on how $11.5 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Buncombe County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.