Bobby Matthews Jr. of Durham said he plans to start a new career after he won a $5 million lottery prize.
“This is going to completely change my life,” said Matthews, who works at a staffing agency. “I’m going to start investing in real estate.”
His good fortune happened Monday night when he stopped by the Fast Food Mart on Roxboro Road in Durham and bought a $5,000,000 Mega Cash ticket. He scratched the ticket when he got home.
“I was like, ‘Wow!’” Matthews exclaimed. “My life literally just changed. We were so excited we couldn’t sleep. We were up all night celebrating.”
Matthews claimed his prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $5 million annuity of 20 payments of $250,000, or a lump sum worth $3 million. He chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $2,115,036.
The $20 ticket launched in May 2017 with three $5 million prizes and six $1 million prizes. One $5 million prize and two $1 million prizes remain.
Ticket sales from instant games like $5,000,000 Mega Cash make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 million dollars a year for education. 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.