Onslow County man buys first ever scratch-off and wins $200,000 prize

Amir Dickerson of Richlands got the ultimate case of beginner’s luck when he bought a scratch-off for the first time and won a $200,000 top prize.

“I’ve seen lots of other people win so I wanted to try,” he said. “I just got lucky.”

Dickerson purchased his lucky $5 Mega Bucks ticket from the Shell on Western Boulevard in Jacksonville.

“I actually didn’t know that I won at first,” he recalled. “I gave the ticket to my grandma to look at and she told me I won.”

Dickerson said he didn’t know what to do when he found out.

“It was just like shock,” Dickerson said. “I was so happy.”

He collected his prize Tuesday and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $143,501.

“I’m just thankful,” Dickerson said.

He plans to use his winnings to help out his family.

Mega Bucks debuted in August with nine $200,000 top prizes. Five $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.