For Brenda McCannon of Canton, winning the prize of a lifetime means she can create lasting memories with her 15 grandchildren.

McCannon tried her luck Monday in a new lottery game, Lucky For Life, and won the second prize $25,000 A Year For Life. The first thing she plans to do is get a van that will hold the whole crew.

“We’ve got 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren,” McCannon said. “This way we can all go places at the same time.”

When McCannon’s husband told her she won, she couldn’t believe it.

“It’s overwhelming,” McCannon said. “I’ve never seen so much money.”

McCannon claimed her prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. Players who win the game’s top prize of $1,000 A Day For Life or the second prize of $25,000 A Year For Life can collect the payment for as long as they live.
McCannon also had the option of getting a lump sum of $390,000. She chose the cash option. After federal and state tax withholdings, she took home $265,853.

McCannon bought the $2 Quick Pick ticket at Lankfords Grocery on North Main Street in Canton. She matched all five white balls, beating the odds of one in 1.8 million to win the game’s second prize.

This is the 7th time since the game launched in February that a ticket sold in North Carolina has won the $25,000 A Year For Life prize. In Monday’s drawing, a ticket sold in Ohio won the top prize of $1,000 A Day For Life.

21 lotteries play Lucky For Life. In all there are 10 ways to win a prize playing the game. Drawings are held every Monday and Thursday night.

Ticket sales from games like Lucky For Life made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 million for the state last year. For details on how over $18.8 million in lottery funds has made a difference in Haywood County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.