North Carolina Man 'In Disbelief' After $250,000 Lottery Win

A North Carolina man's decision to buy a lottery ticket while out on an errand ended up winning him a huge prize.

Juan Garcia, a 22-year-old HVAC installer from Durham, recently tried his hand at the lottery and came out on the other side winning a six-figure prize, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery. Stopping by the University Market on West Chapel Hill Street to get quarters in order to do laundry, he also purchased a $5 scratch off ticket for the newly launched Mega Bucks Limited Edition game. That decision proved to be a smart move as he scratched off the ticket to reveal he had won the $250,000 prize.

"I was in disbelief," he said. "I kept seeing zeroes."

Garcia claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Monday (August 22), bringing home a grand total of $177,526 after required state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what he plans to do with his new winnings, Garcia, who has a six-month-old daughter, told lottery officials the money will go toward finding the perfect home for his family.

"This is definitely a huge step toward our one-day dream home," he said.

According to lottery officials, the Mega Bucks Limited Edition game launched earlier this month with five top prizes of $250,000. Not even a full month since its launch, players across the state have been hard at work trying to claim the prize. As of Garcia's win, two top prizes remain to be claimed.