CONCORD, N.C. — A Concord man is thankful he trusted his gut feeling after scoring a $5 million lottery prize.
Eric Walker was about to clock in for his shift at the Food Lion in Locust when something in his mind told him to buy a 200X The Cash ticket from a North Carolina Education Lottery vending machine. He's glad he did.
"When I scratched it, I couldn't believe what I saw," he said.
Walker won the first $5 million top prize in the game, which debuted in March. He immediately called his wife to tell her about the life-changing moment.
"She just kept saying, 'What, what, what?'" Walker said.
Walker opted for the annuity of $250,000 and received the first of 20 payments on Thursday when he cashed in the ticket. After state and federal taxes, he brought home $178,759. He'll get a check for $250,00 over the next 19 years until the full $5 million prize is paid.
Walker said taking the annuity made the most sense for his family. He said he plans to use this year's winnings to pay off his mortgage.
Eric Walker of Concord had a feeling he should buy a $30 lottery ticket and his instinct proved correct when he won a $5 million prize that he will collect in $250,000 annual payments for 20 years.
The 200X The Cash game debuted in March with five top prizes of $5 million and 10 $100,000 prizes. Four $5 million prizes and nine $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
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.
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