‘It’s going to be life-changing,’ Alamance County man says of lifetime prize

Palmer Lewis of Haw River said he’s making big plans after he won a $25,000 A Year For Life Lucky For Life prize. 

“This is going to be life-changing,” Lewis said. “Right now I have a 98’ Ford. I’m going to get a new car, maybe a van. Something that’s easier for me to get in and out of. I’m also going to fix up my home.”

Using his own numbers, Lewis bought the ticket for Thursday’s drawing at the Food Lion on South Main Street in Graham.

“I knew I should’ve waited until the morning to check the numbers,” Lewis said. “I couldn’t sleep after I checked them I was so excited. I only slept for an hour and a half.”
 
He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of getting $25,000 a year every year for the rest of his life or a lump sum of $390,000. He chose the lump sum and, after federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $274,954.

The $2 ticket beat odds of one in 1.8 million to win the game’s second prize of $25,000 A Year For Life. So far, two North Carolinians have won the top prize, $1,000 A Day For Life, and 17 tickets have won the second prize. There are 10 ways to win a prize playing Lucky For Life.