Robert Thomas of Pollocksville plans to buy a home after a $10 scratch-off turned into a $1 million top prize.
“I was dumbfounded,” he recalled. “It was a shock.”
Thomas bought his lucky Ultimate Dash ticket on Saturday from Riverdale Fuel Market on Riverdale Road in New Bern.
“I love that ticket,” he said. “I hit $1,000 on it before.”
Thomas said the big win finally started to sink in when he arrived at lottery headquarters.
“That right there just made it real,” Thomas said after he received his big check.
When Thomas arrived Monday to collect his winnings, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive his prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $430,503.
“I’m ecstatic,” he said.
The Ultimate Dash game debuted in April with six top prizes of $1 million. One $1 million prize remains to be claimed.
Players can enter their Ultimate Dash scratch-offs in a second-chance drawing for a chance to compete in an Ultimate Dash Challenge Event. Participants will have 90 seconds to race through a warehouse at Charlotte Motor Speedway collecting as much merchandise as possible. One lucky player could win a prize of $2 million.
The N.C. Education Lottery’s Play Smart™ program helps North Carolinians make the most of their lottery play. Visit ncplaysmart.com to learn about all things lottery, from tips on how odds work to how to enter bonus drawings. If you or someone you know needs support, visit morethanagame.nc.gov/ for free, confidential help.
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