Kevon Greenidge of Spring Lake bought a belated 40th birthday gift for himself and won the first $3 million prize in a new lottery game.

“I thought I was being pranked or something,” Greenidge said. “I really thought it was a trick.”

Greenidge bought his lucky $30 Fabulous Fortune ticket on First Tuesday, two days after his 40th birthday. His ticket came from the Short Stop on Anderson Ponds Drive in Spring Lake.

“When I saw it had so many numbers, I thought maybe it actually is real,” Greenidge said.

When Greenidge arrived at lottery headquarters Wednesday to collect his prize, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $150,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.8 million. He chose the lump-sum amount of $1.8 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $1,278,189.

Greenidge said he is planning to buy a house, a car, and give some money to charity.

Fabulous Fortune debuted this month with six $3 million prizes and 18 $100,000 prizes. Five $3 million prizes and 17 $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. A $10 million grant, using money raised by the lottery, is helping Harnett County build the new Northwest Harnett Elementary School. For details on other ways Harnett County benefits from lottery funds, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.