Faith Granwehr of Charlotte tried her luck on a $30 scratch-off and won the first $5 million prize of the game.
Granwehr bought her lucky $5,000,000 Ultimate ticket from the Harris Teeter on South Boulevard in Charlotte.
When Granwehr arrived at lottery headquarters on Monday, she could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $250,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $3 million. She chose the lump sum of $3 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $2,137,509.
The $5,000,000 Ultimate game debuted in March with five $5 million prizes and 15 $100,000 prizes. Four $5 million prizes and 11 $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise $2.5 million a day on average for education. For details on how $61.8 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Mecklenburg County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.