Carlos Chavez of Newton says a quick decision to play the lottery for the first time won him a $400,000 Big Win lottery prize.
Chavez, who owns his own construction company, frequently travels around the state completing projects. On May 2, his work brought him to Durham, where he made a $400,000 decision to buy his first lottery ticket at the Croasdaile Family Fare on Hillandale Road.
“After work we stopped by the store,” said Chavez recalling the moment he bought the lucky $5 ticket. “I had never played the lottery before, but my friends were buying a few tickets, so I decided to buy one, too. I didn’t think anything of it. I just kept it in my wallet.”
Chavez didn’t scratch the ticket until two days later while he was in his hotel room in Durham. When he realized he was a big winner, he couldn’t believe it.
“I looked at the ticket,” said Chavez. “And I thought, ‘Lucky me!’”
He claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $282,005. He plans to use the money to pay bills and invest the rest in his business.
Big Win launched earlier this year with four top prizes of $400,000. One top prize remains to be claimed.
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