Michael Ferri of Charlotte said a change of habit led him to a $1 million lottery win.
In the mornings, Ferri typically stops by the Circle K on North Tryon Street in Charlotte. He grabs a cup of coffee and a lottery ticket on the way to work.
“Normally I’ll get a $30 ticket,” said Ferri, who manages an American Burger Company in Charlotte. “This time I decided to get some $10 tickets instead.”
When he scratched the Hit $5,000 ticket and saw that he won $1 million he was in shock.
“It’s just unbelievable,” Ferri said. “It still hasn’t set in.”
Ferri claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking a $1 million annuity that has 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum. After federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $424,503. He plans to use some of the money to get a new car.
“I have and old Mitsubishi that has over 230,000 miles on it,” Ferri said. “That’s going to hit the road, and I’ll get a new car. I don’t need anything fancy, just something that gets me to and from work.”
Hit $5,000 launched in July with five top prizes of $1 million. Two top prizes remain.
Ticket sales from games like Hit $5,000 make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how $61.9 million in lottery funds made a difference in Mecklenburg County last year, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.
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