Last Updated on October 9, 2023 2:31 pm
Tomas Garcia of Lenoir took a chance on a $20 scratch-off ticket and won the first $2 million top prize in a new scratch-off game.
Garcia bought his lucky Power 20s ticket from Quickway Superette on Norwood Street Southwest in Lenoir.
When Garcia arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to collect his prize, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $100,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.2 million. He chose the lump-sum amount of $1.2 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $855,006.
The Power 20s game debuted this week with four $2 million top prizes and eight $100,000 prizes. Three $2 million prizes and eight $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise $2.8 million a day on average for education. A $15 million grant, using money raised by the lottery, helped Caldwell County build the new Granite Falls Middle School. For details on other ways Caldwell County benefits from lottery funds, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.
