Larry Fitzgerald of Nebo said he plans to buy his dream home after he won a $4 million lottery prize.

“This feels like a dream come true,” Fitzgerald said. “I want to buy a house that has plenty of land so I have room to restore my classic cars.”

The thrift store worker’s good fortune happened Monday evening when he made his daily stop at Samirs on Burma Road in Nebo. While there, he bought a 100X The Cash scratch-off ticket.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Fitzgerald said when he realized he won. “This is life changing. It feels good. Real good.”

He claimed the prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $4 million annuity that has 20 payments of $200,000 a year or a lump sum of $2.4 million. He chose the lump sum. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $1,698,006.

“I figured I’d win sooner or later,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m glad I finally did.”

Players can enter their “X The Cash” scratch-off tickets into one of four second-chance drawings for a chance to win $50,000. The deadline to enter the first drawing is March 31.

Ticket sales from games like 100X The Cash help the lottery raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how $2.6 million in lottery funds made a difference in McDowell County last year, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website, https://www.nclottery.com.