Arely Mayorga Martinez of Charlotte can fulfill her dream of buying a house after she won a $1 million lottery prize.

“We are so happy,” she said.

Martinez said her husband purchased the lucky $10 Multiplier Mania ticket at Shopton Commons BP on Steele Creek Road in Charlotte and brought it home for her to scratch.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” she recalled.

After Martinez realized her ticket held a $1 million win on it, she decided to put it in a safe place until she claimed her prize.

“We hid it under our mattress,” she laughed.

When Martinez arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday, she had a decision to make. She could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $429,003.

Multiplier Mania debuted in June of 2023 with six $1 million top prizes. One $1 million prize remains to be claimed.

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.