Linda Vician of Charlotte said a tradition of playing the lottery with her dad led her to a $1 million prize.
“My 90-year-old dad comes to visit me from Ohio every six months,” Vician said. “We always get scratch-off tickets when he comes because he enjoys playing so much.”
In keeping with tradition, they stopped at the Murphy Express on N.C. 73 in Denver and bought a Big Money Playbook.
“I started going through the games and wasn’t winning anything,” Vician said. “When I got to the last game I couldn’t believe it. I just hoped it was real.”
Vician claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. She had the choice of taking an annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $423,012. She plans to use some of the money to get a new car.
“One of my first thoughts was, ‘Oh my! What am I going to do with all this money?” Vician said. “I’ll give some to my dad, and my grandchildren. I’ll probably get a new car for myself. It’s going to be top of the line if I do. I want seat warmers.”
Vician is the first player to win a top prize since the Big Money Playbook launched in December. Two $1 million prizes remain.
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