Beginner’s luck hit the jackpot as a North Carolina man scored the top prize in the state lottery on his very first try.
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Jarett Allen of Burnsville hit the jackpot on Thursday, Jan. 9, winning an incredible $5 million in the North Carolina lottery. His life-changing prize came from a $30 “200X The Cash” scratch-off ticket, which he purchased at his local Riverside General Store, according to an official news release.
As the release puts it, the lucky winner decided to try his luck at the lottery while bonding with his dad—a long-time lottery player.
“It was the first lottery ticket I’ve ever bought,” Allen mercilessly bragged.
“My dad chose the ticket for me,” he further boasted, likely as lifelong lottery players cursed the heavens.
Jarett Allen of Burnsville bought a scratch-off on Thursday and won a $5 million prize! “It was the first lottery ticket I’ve ever bought,” Allen laughed. His 200X The Cash ticket was from Riverside General Store on U.S. 19 East. Congratulations, Jarett! https://t.co/FyM69WrqUx pic.twitter.com/AaEJyEHsbX
— NC Education Lottery (@nclottery) January 10, 2025
Allen, the most recent winner of the state’s six top lottery prizes, shared his disbelief when he saw the winning numbers announced.
“I didn’t think it was real,” he admitted. “I thought I wasn’t looking at it right.”
That makes sense, he literally had never bought a ticket before winning 5 million dollars his first time out.
First-Time Lottery Player Opted for a $$3,000,000 Lump Sum Pay Out
As legions of beleaguered lottery players continue hopelessly buying tickets year after year, on Friday, Jan. 10, Allen collected a cool $3,000,000 lump sum from his winnings.
He chose to take the lump sum payout instead of opting for annual payments of $250,000 over 20 years. After mandatory state and federal tax withholdings, he walked away with $2,152,508, according to the release.
However, Allen hasn’t forgotten his dear old dad, who encouraged him to buy the ticket and pick out the winning numbers…
Per the release, Allen plans to use his lottery winnings to support his parents first, then invest the rest.
The 200X The Cash lottery, which launched in March 2022, offered a chance to win big, featuring six top prizes of $5,000,000 and 18 prizes of $100,000, according to the official release. The lottery has now come to an end with the announcement of its final winner, marking the conclusion of the game and shattering the dreams of other hopeful players.