Charlotte resident Steven Holder could barely stand up after he found out he won a $1,115,683 Fast Play jackpot Monday morning.
“My knees buckled,” he laughed.
The jackpot represents the third largest prize won in Fast Play history. Holder said he could barely believe it when he won.
“I kept thinking, ‘Is this real,’” he recalled.
Holder bought his lucky $10 Break the Bank ticket from JAD Mart on Statesville Road in Charlotte. At the time of his purchase, the jackpot stood at $1,115,683. Since Holder bought a $10 ticket, he received 100% of the progressive jackpot.
“When I think about it, I still can’t believe it happened,” Holder said.
He arrived at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Monday to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $797,716.
Fast Play features an instantly growing jackpot that increases with every ticket sold until it is won. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Fast Play jackpot stands at $31,000 and counting.
For details on how $59.2 million raised by the lottery made a difference for education programs in Mecklenburg County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.