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news blog > article

Cary grandmother felt numb after winning $1 million top prize

May 2, 2025 Posted by NC Lottery at 3:23 PM
image-photo

Stephanie Marquez of Cary didn’t know how to react after a $30 scratch-off won her a $1 million top prize.

“I was just kind of numb,” she recalled. “I kept thinking, ‘That can’t be real.’”

Marquez bought her lucky MAX-A-MILLION ticket from Xpress Mart on North Sharon Amity Road in Charlotte. She said she normally buys the $5 and $10 scratch-offs, not the $30 tickets.

“I guess I just thought, ‘Shoot your shot,’” Marquez laughed. “That was my first time buying that one.”

When Marquez arrived at lottery headquarters Friday, she had a decision to make. She could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $430,508.

“This is a really good thing for us right now,” she said.

Marquez, a grandmother of two, plans to use some of her winnings to help pay for her grandchildren’s college education.

The MAX-A-MILLION game debuted in March with 25 top prizes of $1 million and 10 prizes of $100,000. Twenty-two $1 million prizes and 10 $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.


17 COMMENTS

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5/05/2025 04:49 - Craig W.

Small towns, less Lottery outlets. Big cities, more stores. Consequently, more chances of winning. It is not an equal chance of winning. Follow along on a map over a period of time. It will become obvious.

5/04/2025 06:38 - Sabrina D S.

Congrats!!

5/04/2025 04:54 - Cynthia S.

Awesome, congratulations

5/03/2025 09:47 - tarrell c.

congrats to you and your fam

5/03/2025 09:08 - John J.

That's a great win for you...May 7 is my 53rd wedding anniversary! How great I know it would feel to win and celebrate.....NC Lottery
Happy anniversary, John! We are wishing you luck!

5/03/2025 08:38 - gracie l.

nice

5/03/2025 05:27 - michael a.

What a waste kids not trying to go to college these days and do well. Just party travel for spring break and get a degree in something ridiculous ijs.

5/03/2025 02:04 - Mark M.

Sure it can happen, just not to anyone in Lexington or small towns. Question, are all the top prizes actually distributed waiting to be bought?NC Lottery
Every lottery ticket has an equal chance at winning, regardless of where it was purchased. If you were to move to a big city, you'd have more neighbors; if you moved to a tiny town, you'd have less. But what everyone would have in common in all those places is that each individual would have the exact same chance of winning a lottery prize!

5/03/2025 12:32 - Carolyn B.

I hope at some point one day I win I play all the time I'll keep on playing you got to play to win. Good luck to everyone playing!NC Lottery
We are wishing you luck, Carolyn!

5/03/2025 09:14 - Gina C.

Way to go Stephanie!!! I think your good angels were telling you to "Shoot your shot". And I think it is one of the BEST looking tickets, in a long time, love the purple. Continued good luck to you from Wilkes County.

5/03/2025 09:10 - Levi J.

Still ripping people off because even if you take the lump sum ncel is taxing at 40% so u are better off dragging it out which is what they want so not having to pay all at once I don’t think Virgina does that rate.

5/03/2025 07:10 - Sharon W.

Congratulations

5/02/2025 09:13 - Kimberly D.

Congratulations!!!

5/02/2025 05:59 - Duane C.

Congratulations enjoy your blessing can 738 come out soon I been playing the number for 3yrs now

5/02/2025 04:29 - Iurii A.

Taxes are evil. You receive only 43%. Guess who really won.NC Lottery
Hi, Iurii! This winner had a choice between annuity payments of $50,000 for 20 years, or a lump sum of $600,000 all at once. The difference between the annuity and lump sum amounts isn't tax, but accounts for the interest that would be earned and used to pay off the prize over time if the winner chose the annuity option. Whatever a player chooses is up to them, but we're required to withhold minimum state (4.25%) and federal (25%) taxes either way.

5/02/2025 03:45 - Angela A.

Congrats! Not hating on Charlotte, but I think I am going to save my money up and just go to Charlotte and stop at store to store buying tickets and see if I can even get a $100-$1000 WINNER, because my local stores you don't even have a chance.NC Lottery
Hi, Angela! No matter where you play, your odds of winning are the same. We may see more winners over time in higher populated areas, simply because there are more folks taking a chance to win there. However, we'll also see more non-winning tickets in proportion with the odds of a game. No matter where you play, it takes a lot of luck to be a big winner!

5/02/2025 03:32 - Robert f.

Congratulations from Charlotte.i hope I will be next to win the top prize!!!!!!?NC Lottery
We're crossing our fingers for you and wishing you lots of luck, Robert!

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