For Jesse Callahan of Greensboro, winning $1 million in the Extreme Millions Second-Chance drawing means he can turn his creative ideas into reality.
“I’ve got a lot of projects,” said Callahan, a 28-year-old Internet marketer. “This gives me the freedom to pursue those dreams.”
He wants to work on his art and music.
“Everybody loves the arts,” Callahan said. “But they don’t want to support them. Now I can.”
Callahan wants to develop a self-improvement program to help people make the most of their time. He also plans to visit South Korea.
People who play Extreme Millions can enter their scratch-off tickets into a second-chance drawing for a grand prize of $1 million. Callahan won the first of four second-chance drawings. His entry was chosen from 1,035,178.
When Callahan found out he won, he couldn’t believe it.
“I was freaked out,” Callahan said. “I actually got sick.”
Callahan claimed his prize Tuesday 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. He chose the annuity and received his first payment of $50,000. After federal and state tax withholdings he took home $34,759.
Extreme Millions launched in December 2016 with four top prizes of $10 million and 22 prizes of $1 million. All top prizes and 18 $1 million prizes remain.
Ticket sales from games like Extreme Millions 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 Guilford County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.