A man in North Carolina is overjoyed after finally winning a massive $1 million lottery prize.
Ricky Nunnery Jr., of Sanford, recently stopped by the Wink Mart on Deep River Road where he purchased a $10 ticket for the $1,000,000 Triple Play game, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery. It was money well spent, too, as he landed the first top prize in the newly-launched game.
"I dreamed that I would hit big on the lottery," the Lee County man said, adding that he picked up the ticket after getting a gut feeling, "Something just told me to play today."
Nunnery claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Friday (July 11), choosing to collect his winnings as either an annuity of $50,000 over the course of 20 years or a one time, lump sum payment of $600,000. He ended up choosing the latter and took home a grand total of $430,503 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. According to lottery officials, he plans to invest his winnings as well as pay some bills.
"I'm tickled to death with this," he said.
According to the lottery website, the $1,000,000 Triple Play game launched in June with five top prizes of $1 million. Following Nunnery's win, four prizes remain to be claimed.