‘It’s the start of a new dream,’ Rockingham County man says of $1 million win

Paul Dehart of Ruffin said he’s going to use a $1 million lottery prize to make his dream of flipping houses come true.

“I’ve already got my first house,” Dehart said. “Having this means I don’t have any excuse not to do it. It’s the start of a new dream.”

Dehart’s good luck started when he stopped at the Harvest Ridge on U.S. 29 in Ruffin and bought a $1,000,000 WIN IT ALL scratch-off ticket.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the numbers,” Dehart said. “This is unbelievable. It feels great.”

Dehart claimed his prize Wednesday 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.

The $10 ticket launched with four $1 million top prizes. One top prize remains.

Ticket sales from games like $1,000,000 WIN IT ALL make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.