Felma Norman of Statesville had an unforgettable start to his morning on Monday after a $20 scratch-off woke him up with a $100,000 prize.

“It was better than coffee,” he laughed.

Norman said he scratched his ticket at 4:30 in the morning.

“I set it down, went to the refrigerator to get a drink, then came back to check it again,” he recalled.

Norman bought his lucky $2 Million Vault ticket from Sunshine Express on Wilkesboro Highway in Statesville.

“I never really play that game, but I just chose one,” Norman said.

He arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to claim his winnings and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $72,016.

“I love it,” Norman said when he received his big check.

He plans to use his winnings to pay some bills.

The $2 Million Vault game debuted in May with three top prizes of $2 million and six $100,000 prizes. One $2 million prize and three $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

Education programs in Iredell County received $10.9 million in support from lottery funds last year. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.