Melkamu Bogale of Durham is celebrating his good fortune after he played the Extreme Millions scratch-off game and won $1 million.
Bogale claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking an annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $423,015.
Bogale is a clerk on Rose Mart on Lyon Station Road in Creedmoor. He bought the $30 ticket at the store where he works.
Extreme Millions launched in December 2016 with four top prizes of $10 million and 22 $1 million prizes. Two $10 million prizes and seven $1 million prizes remain.
Ticket sales from instant games like Extreme Millions make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $12.6 million for Durham County last fiscal year. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.