RALEIGH, N.C. — After seeing the big Mega Millions jackpot, a Pineville man decided to try his luck and his luck won him $1 million. David Morris claimed his $1 million prize Friday at North Carolina's lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
"I started hyperventilating," Morris said when he learned the winning ticket from a 7-Eleven in Pineville was unclaimed. "I called my wife at work and told her to come home right away."
Morris' numbers matched all of the five white balls from Tuesday's drawing. He said the luck wasn't all his. Morris asked his children to choose his lottery numbers.
After the required taxes, Morris took home $712,501. He hopes to buy land with his new earnings.
"We want to buy some land up in the Smoky Mountains where my wife is from," Morris said.
The untouched Mega Millions jackpot increased to $1.35 billion Friday. This jackpot is the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions' history and the fourth-largest in U.S. history.
N.C. Education Lottery said the odds of winning are one in 302 million. How lucky are you?
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.