Jerry Hicks, a master carpenter from North Carolina, USA, stumbled upon a $20 bill outside a Speedway convenience store near Boone on October 22. Unbeknownst to him, this found money would lead to a remarkable turn of events.
Hicks decided to purchase an Extreme Cash scratch-off lottery ticket with the unexpected cash. The ticket, which he only bought after his first choice was unavailable, won him an astounding $1 million.
In a statement released by North Carolina Lottery, Hicks shared his surprise: “They actually didn’t have the ticket I was looking for, so I bought that one instead.” This unexpected choice, however, proved exceptionally lucky as he hit the jackpot. Hicks, a resident of Banner Elks, said he was thrilled to win such a life-changing prize after years of hard work.
Prize Options And Future Plans
As a lottery winner, Hicks had two options: to receive his prize as $50,000 annually over 20 years or as a one-time payment of $600,000. He opted for the lump sum and took home $429,007 after state and federal taxes. With his winnings, Hicks plans to provide support to his family and finally retire after a dedicated 56-year career as a carpenter.
When asked about his first splurge after the win, Hicks revealed, “We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve got.”
A String of Million-Dollar Wins
Hicks isn’t the only recent lottery winner in the region. Just two days prior, a Virginia man, George Hurt, also struck gold with a $1 million lottery ticket, after 13 years of dedicated play. His winning ticket, purchased at a Cloverdale convenience store now deemed lucky, came with odds of over one in 600,000. Like Hicks, Hurt chose the lump-sum option, walking away with $571,000 before taxes.
These unexpected wins show that sometimes, even the smallest moments of chance can lead to remarkable outcomes.
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