For Jon Paul Potts and his wife, Renee, from Fuquay-Varina, winning a $1 million second-chance prize means their four kids’ college funds will receive a much needed boost.

“We know exactly what we are going to do with the money,” said Potts, who works for a marketing company. “We have four kids, so we obviously will be putting a lot of money into their college funds.”

When Potts found out he had won $1 million in the Extreme Millions Second-Chance drawing, he immediately called out to his wife to tell her the good news.

“He ran over to me on the couch,” said Renee recalling the moment. “And he said, ‘Turn off the TV. We won a million dollars.’ I thought he was talking about his company closing on a deal. But then he said, ‘No, we won a million dollars!’ It was unbelievable. Now it’s crazy!’”

Potts 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 lump sum. After federal and state tax withholdings he took home $423,006. The couple also plans on saving for retirement and painting their home.

“I know it’s not the craziest thing to do,” said Potts. “But with our kids and their friends running around the house, it could sure use a touch-up.”

People who play Extreme Millions can enter their scratch-off tickets into the lottery’s Player’s Club for a second-chance at $1 million. Potts’s entry was drawn from more than 1.4 million entries in the Sept. 5 drawing. He won the third of four second-chance drawings. The drawing also awarded three prizes of $50,000 and 25 prizes of $500.

Extreme Millions launched in December 2016 with four top prizes of $10 million and 22 prizes of $1 million. One top prize and three $1 million prizes remain.

Ticket sales from games like Extreme Millions make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million 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.