The fortunate event occurred last Tuesday outside a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Boone, detailed officials from the North Carolina Education Lottery.

The winner, Jerry Hicks, hails from Banner Elk, a town nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains near two prominent ski resorts in Avery County. This region is still recovering from severe flooding caused by post-Hurricane Helene. According to the lottery officials, Hicks initially sought another lottery ticket but opted for the $25 Extreme Cash scratch-off ticket when his preferred choice was unavailable.

Hicks, a master carpenter with over five decades of experience, visited the lottery headquarters on Friday to claim his prize. Instead of the annuity option of $50,000 annually for 20 years, he chose a lump-sum payment of $600,000. This upfront payment amounted to $429,007 after deducting federal and state taxes.

Although Hicks did not immediately respond to requests for comment, he informed lottery officials that he plans to use his winnings to support his children and to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. The North Carolina Education Lottery conveyed this information in their announcement.

Additionally, the NC Education Lottery shared that another player, Cynthia Moore from Smithfield, also won a $1 million top prize from its Cashword scratch-off game introduced in August. She purchased her ticket for $10 at a market in Wilson. Lottery officials indicated that three more $1 million prizes remain for this game.

Remarkably, for the past two consecutive years, the NC Education Lottery has generated over $1 billion for public schools and other educational programs, contributing significantly to North Carolina's annual education budget, which exceeds $15 billion.