When Robert Wright Jr. of Raleigh found out his Mega Millions ticket won him a $1 million prize, the first thing he thought of was his children and how he could afford to pay for their education.
“The first thing that came to mind was my kids,” he said. “As a parent, it’s something that you want to do. It’s something that you strive to do. So, for me to be able to do this is amazing. It’s just a great feeling.”
His lucky ticket was the only one to win the highest prize nationally in Tuesday’s drawing. The $2 ticket matched the numbers on all five white balls. The odds of matching all five white balls in a Mega Millions drawing are 1 in 12.6 million.
“I normally play Mega Millions and Powerball on Friday and Saturday,” said Wright. “I just so happened to take a chance and play yesterday.”
Wright purchased his winning Quick Pick ticket for Tuesday’s drawing through Online Play on the lottery’s website. The next morning, he woke up for work and decided to check his email.
“It said, ‘Check your winnings,’” he recalled. “When I clicked on it and saw those commas, I just went crazy! I ran downstairs and woke my significant other up and I just started screaming to her, ‘I won, I won!’ So, we both were screaming running around the house. It was a joyous occasion.”
Wright claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh and took home $707,505 after required federal and state tax withholdings.
He plans to put the rest of the money into savings and investments.
No one won Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot. The jackpot stands at $240 million as an annuity or $162.6 million cash for Friday’s drawing. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302 million.
Players can buy Mega Millions tickets through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App, or at any lottery retail location.
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