Robert Kennedy of Winston-Salem said a $1 million lottery win means a dream trip to Minnesota to see his favorite sports teams.
“My wife and I are huge Twins and Vikings fans,” Kennedy said. “We started saving a while back when I won $1,000 on a lottery ticket, now this will really make the trip special.”
The financial analyst’s good fortune happened Tuesday evening when Kennedy stopped at the Circle K on West Clemmonsville Road in Winston-Salem and bought a $5,000 Loaded scratch-off ticket.
“For some reason I just felt drawn to the ticket,” Kennedy said. “I knew I won something right away, but I thought it was something small. I couldn’t believe it when I saw $1 million.”
Kennedy immediately shared the good news with his wife.
“She had just spent the night in the hospital with my mother-in-law,” Kennedy said. “When I showed her the ticket, she immediately perked up. It turned a bad day into a good one.”
Kennedy claimed his prize Wednesday afternoon at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $1 million annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum. After federal and state tax withholdings he took home $424,503. In addition to the Minnesota trip, Kennedy plans to save for retirement.
“My friends always called me lucky,” Kennedy said. “I guess I really am. I married the right woman, I have two wonderful children and three grandchildren, and now this. This is the icing on the cake.”
The $10 ticket launched in May with four $1 million top prizes. One $1 million prize remains.
Ticket sales from games like $5,000 Loaded make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.
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