North Carolina Woman 'Started Crying' After $4 Million Lottery Win

A woman in North Carolina is celebrating a multi-million lottery win, calling the prize a "big blessing."

Carissa Jones, of Pembroke, and her husband recently stopped by the Quick Stop on Middle Street in Maxton where she purchased a $30 Black Titanium scratch-off ticket. According to a release from the NC Education Lottery, she didn't wait too long to check her ticket, quickly learning that she scored one of the game's top prizes of $4 million.

"I started crying," she said. "My husband was jumping up and down and then he ran behind the counter and hugged the cashier."

Jones claimed her prize at lottery headquarters on Wednesday (April 10), choosing to receive the impressive amount as either an annuity of $200,000 over the course of 20 years or as a one time, lump sum payment of $2.4 million. She ended up choosing the latter and was able to collect $1,716,009 after all required state and federal tax withholdings.

According to lottery officials, she plans to give some of her winnings and use more funds to build the home of her dreams.

"I'm going to build my dream home," she said, adding her architect brother will help her out. "He drew the plans up for me years ago. I didn't know when it would happen but I knew it would one day. And now it can."

She added, "This is a big blessing."