Frederica Bridgers of Tarboro said Friday the 13th never again will be an unlucky day for her after last Friday, May 13, became the day she won a $2 million prize.

“Nobody can ever tell me that it’s a bad luck day anymore,” Bridgers laughed. “It’s lucky now.”

Bridgers, 47, bought her lucky $20 Grand Money ticket from Tobacco Plus on St. Andrew Street in Tarboro. She said when she scratched the ticket at her home she initially didn’t think she won anything.

“I scratched the whole ticket and I thought it wasn’t a winner,” Bridgers said. “I glanced over it again though and then I saw the big two and I was stunned.”

When Bridgers arrived at lottery headquarters to collect her prize, she had a decision to make. She could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $100,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.2 million. She chose the lump-sum amount of $1.2 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $852,126.

Bridgers said she wants to set aside some of the money for her immediate family and possibly start her own business.

The Grand Money game debuted in September with four top prizes of $2 million and six $100,000 prizes. Two $2 million prizes and three $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 million per year for education. For details on how $2.9 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Edgecombe County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.