This man won the first $2 million prize in a new NC lottery game. ‘An amazing feeling’
A North Carolina man tried his luck on a new lottery ticket — and scored the game’s biggest prize.
“It was an amazing feeling,” winner Darrell Ratliff told the N.C. Education Lottery. “I couldn’t believe it. I’m just really excited.”
Ratliff is celebrating a $2 million win after officials said he decided to play Premier Cash, which debuted in August. He bought his lucky ticket at the Top Mart convenience store in Wadesboro, roughly 50 miles southeast of Charlotte.
It turns out, the $20 ticket landed Ratliff the first top prize in the new lottery game.
Ratliff, who lives in Anson County, decided to take his prize money in a lump sum and kept $849,006 after taxes, officials said.
“It really means a lot to me,” Ratliff said Tuesday in a news release.
It’s not the first time a North Carolina lottery player hit the jackpot after choosing a new ticket.
Last year, officials said a grandmother scored $4 million after she tried a game that had recently launched.
A few months later, a woman who’s a fan of new games was “in shock” when one of them led to a big prize, McClatchy News reported.
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.
This story was originally published September 2, 2021 at 1:33 PM with the headline "This man won the first $2 million prize in a new NC lottery game. ‘An amazing feeling’."
