NC man running an errand for his wife scores a $1 million lottery ticket
A man running an errand for his wife decided to play the lottery — and it paid off big time in North Carolina.
Darius Bowen was picking up items on New Year’s Day when he bought a scratch-off ticket worth $1 million, the N.C. Education Lottery said Tuesday in a news release.
“I still can’t believe it to this day,” he told officials.
Bowen’s windfall came after a stop at the Speedway convenience store in Kenansville, a town roughly 55 miles east of Fayetteville. That’s where Bowen spent $50 on two tickets for the Extreme Cash game, officials say.
He remembers the moment he discovered he won the $1 million top prize.
“When I was scratching it off, I thought I just got my money back,” he told officials. “My wife was on the phone and I was just like, in shock.”
Bowen, who lives in Duplin County, decided to get his prize money in a lump sum. He kept $424,507 after taxes, according to officials.
“First time I ever won something like that,” Bowen told the N.C. Education Lottery. “First thing is to pay off some bills and we’re doing some home renovations, so we’ll finish that up and put some away for retirement.”
It’s not the first time someone going out for errands returned with a lucky ticket.
In March, a Charlotte nursing student was on a coffee break when officials said she picked up a ticket that scored a $100,000 jackpot win.
Across the state, a college student was grocery shopping near the coast when he bought a scratch-off worth $200,000, McClatchy News reported in November.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
