One man in North Carolina celebrated the end of one year and the start of another with a huge lottery win.
According to Joseph Rose, of Morehead City, "2021 went out with a bang" when he discovered he was the lucky winner of a $1 million prize in the Winter Winnings lottery game. He was on his way to meet some friends for a New Year's Eve dinner on Friday (December 31) when he stopped at the Handy Mart on Arendall Street to purchase a $20 ticket, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery.
"It blew me away," he said. "I can't quit smiling. It's going to take a whole lot top this one."
Rose is no stranger to winning big prize in the lottery, winning $150,000 from a Wheel of Fortune scratch-off ticket in July 2016. He even won another $250 prize Friday morning before trying his luck with another ticket later that day.
"It was a blessing," he said. "Somebody was going to win it. I'm glad it was me. It's going to make life a little easier."
Rose claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Monday (January 3), where he had two options: He could either get the $1 million as an annuity of $50,000 per year for 20 years or he could accept a one-time, lump sum payment of $600,000. He chose the latter, brining home a total of $426,066 after state and federal taxes.
So what does he plan to do with winnings? Rose told lottery officials that he plans to do some home improvement as well as invest into his retirement.