Shelese Clay of Fayetteville is starting summer on a sweet note after winning $1 million playing $5,000 Loaded.
Clay, an Army vet, bought the lucky ticket Sunday at the Circle V Mart on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville. The $10 game had brought Clay luck before, but never this big.
“I had actually just won $50 playing the same game,” said Clay. “So I decided to use that win to play again, and one of those tickets was the $1 million winner!”
Clay claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. Winners have the option to receive a $1 million annuity over 20 years or take a lump sum of $600,000. Clay chose the lump sum. After required state and federal withholdings, she took home $425,503.
A recent business administration graduate at Fayetteville State University, Clay plans to invest her winnings and maybe take a trip with her family.
“I want to save and grow this money,” she said. “But we also want to do something fun. We might go to Disney World!”
The $5,000 Loaded ticket launched in May, with four top prizes of $1 million. Clay won the first top prize. Three more top prizes remain to be claimed.
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