For Bobby Murphy of Charlotte, a $1 million lottery prize means he and his fiancé can buy a house and start their new life together.

“It feels nice to have this,” Murphy said. “We’ll be able to get a house where my fiancé’s son will have space to play, and she can have her goats.”

Over the weekend Murphy stopped at the 7-Eleven on Eastway Drive in Charlotte and tried his luck with the 50X The Cash ticket
He bought five of the $10 tickets.

“It wasn’t until I scratched the very last number on the last ticket that I realized I won,” Murphy said. “I beat the odds. It’s wild.”

Murphy claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $1 million annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. Murphy chose the lump sum, and after federal and state tax withholdings received $417,009.

50X The Cash launched earlier this month. Murphy is the first player to win one of four $1 million top prizes.

Ticket sales from games like 50X The Cash made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $634 million for the state last year. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in Mecklenburg County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.