NORTH CAROLINA — A Stoneville man is celebrating a life-changing lottery win after claiming the first $5 million top prize in a North Carolina scratch-off game.
Jonathan Craver said he was walking through a Walmart in Greensboro on Tuesday scratching his $30 200X The Cash ticket when he realized he had won.
“I was walking through the store scratching it then I stopped and was like, ‘That can’t be, there’s no way,’” Craver recalled. “It didn’t really register when I saw the word ‘million.’”
Craver purchased the winning ticket at the Walmart on Battleground Avenue in Greensboro.
“I’m still pinching myself,” Craver laughed. “Nothing like that has ever happened to us.”
After realizing he had won, Craver found his fiancée elsewhere in the store to share the news.
“We have been on cloud nine ever since,” Craver said.
When he claimed his prize at lottery headquarters Wednesday, Craver chose the $3 million lump-sum option instead of receiving $250,000 annually over 20 years. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $2,160,298.
Craver said he plans to use the money to buy land and take care of his family.
The 200X The Cash scratch-off game debuted in November with three $5 million top prizes and six $100,000 prizes. Following Craver’s win, two $5 million prizes and three $100,000 prizes remain available to be claimed.
According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, lottery proceeds provided $5.1 million for education programs in Rockingham County last year.
