Marion Nellum of Rocky Mount, the first $1 million winner of 2018, said her win means her dream of a cross-country train trip can come true.

“I’ve always wanted to take a train trip across the country,” Nellum said. “Now I can!”

Nellum’s good fortune happened when she stopped by the EP Mart on Benvenue Road in Rocky Mount the Saturday before Christmas and bought a $10 Big Money Super Ticket.

“I was feeling sorry for myself because my holiday vacation request got denied,” said Nellum, who works in customer service. “I decided I was going to spoil myself and get a scratch-off ticket”.

When Nellum scratched the ticket, she couldn’t believe it.

“I had to take it home and get the magnifying glass to make sure I was reading it right,” Nellum said.

She claimed her prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. She had the choice of taking an annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $417,009.

The $10 game launched in December with four top prizes of $1 million. Two top prizes remain.

Ticket sales from instant games like the Big Money Super Ticket make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 million a year for the state. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.