CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Caldwell County man took a chance on a new scratch-off game from the North Carolina Education Lottery and it paid off in a huge way as he scored the first $2 million prize in the game's history.
Tomas Garcia bought a $20 Power 20s ticket from a convenience store in Lenoir earlier this month. He was the first player to hit the jackpot for one of the game's four $2 million prizes. The game debuted last week with four top prizes and eight $100,000 prizes. Three of the $2 million prizes remain unclaimed.
Garcia elected to take the $1.2 million lump sum over the 20-year annuity at $100,000 per year. After taxes and required federal withholdings, Garcia took home $855,006, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.
While Garcia's win was notable, all eyes are still on the massive $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot. Monday's drawing will be the third-largest jackpot in the history of the game. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million. The odds of winning smaller prizes, ranging from $1 million to $2, are significantly better.
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.