North Carolina Man Scores $1 Million With Last-Minute Purchase

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

A North Carolina man's persistence paid off earlier this week when he decided to try his luck in the state lottery again after his first ticket failed to win anything.

According to a release from the NC Education Lottery, Roger Shue, of Star, stopped by the Mex on South Main Street to pick up a lottery ticket. When it failed to win anything, he continued to fill up his gas tank at the station. Before he left, he decided to try again, purchasing a $30 Colossal Cash scratch-off ticket. This time, it was a winner — of the $1 million prize.

"I scratched the first one and nothing," he recalled. "It was the second one I bought that hit the million."

Even after seeing the life-changing number, he still couldn't believe it.

"It really didn't hit me for a couple hours," he said. "Then I just started shaking."

The Montgomery County man claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Wednesday (February 9), where he had to decide if he wanted to receive his prize as a one-time, lump sum of $600,000 or as an annuity of $50,000 per year over 20 years. Shue chose the lump sum payment, bringing home a whopping $426,069 after state and federal taxes.

So what does Shue plan to do with his new winnings? He told lottery officials he wants to share some of the prize with his four sons, remodel his house and pay off some bills.

"It couldn't have come at a better time," he said. "I was hoping to retire soon, but now I can retire early."