RALEIGH, N.C. — A Snow Hill man is celebrating a life-changing win after claiming the first $1 million top prize in a new North Carolina lottery game.
According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, Griffin Braxton of Snow Hill said he initially struggled to believe his luck after discovering he had won.
“I was like, ‘This can’t be real,’” Braxton recalled. “I was numb.”
Braxton purchased his winning $20 20 Years scratch-off ticket at Fast Track Food Mart.
“I like to try the new ones when they come out,” Braxton said. “If the feeling is right, that’s what I buy.”
When Braxton arrived at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Wednesday to claim his prize, he faced a choice: receive $50,000 annually for 20 years or take a lump sum of $600,000. Braxton opted for the lump sum and, after required tax withholdings, took home $432,066.
Braxton, a grandfather of three, said he plans to share his winnings with his family and complete several projects around his home.
