A great month instantly got even better for Juan Garcia of Stokesdale when he won the first $200,000 top prize playing a new scratch-off game.

“I’ve already had a great month with some stuff in my personal life,” Garcia said. “Now my finances are great too.”

Garcia said he doesn’t buy scratch-offs often but tried a $5 Triple Red 777’s ticket at Compare Foods on Silas Creek Parkway in Winston-Salem to see if his great month could get better.

“I was scratching it and I’m like, ‘That can’t be right,’” Garcia recalled. “It was crazy.”

Garcia told his dad about his big win since he calls his dad his “confidante.”

“My dad said, ‘You’ve got some serious luck,’” Garcia laughed.

He arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to claim his prize and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $143,001.

Garcia plans to pay some bills and share his winnings with his family.

The Triple Red 777’s game debuted this month with five $200,000 top prizes. Four $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

For details on how $5 million raised by the lottery made a difference for education programs in Rockingham County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.