North Carolina man wins $1 million after sister picks out ticket: 'Luckiest guy in the universe'
An 18-year-old North Carolina man owes his sister big-time after he won a $1 million prize after she picked out his scratch-off ticket.
Jalen McLean, of Raleigh, gave his sister some money and told her to pick out a scratch-off ticket at a gas station in Fayetteville, North Carolina, he told the North Carolina Education Lottery's website.
She opted for the "Jumbo Bucks" game, which cost $10.
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When she got back, the two sat together and scratched off the ticket — to reveal the surprise of a lifetime.
He won $1 million, the game's top prize.
"I feel like the luckiest guy in the universe," he told the North Carolina Education Lottery.
His sister, Dasha Silas, recalled that her brother "had a huge smile on his face" as he scratched off the ticket and realized that he had won big.
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McLean collected his winnings on Wednesday, May 22, and still was unable to fully express how he felt, said the lottery's website.
"How many 18-year-olds win something like this?" he told the North Carolina Education Lottery when asked for a comment.
McLean opted against collecting a lump sum of $600,000, and instead will receive $50,000 each year for the next 19 years.
He received his first payment on Wednesday, said the lottery's website, which amounted to $35,753 after taxes.
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With his winnings, McLean told the lottery website that he plans on buying an Audi — and one would hope that he plans on taking his sister for a celebratory joyride in his new car.
"Mr. McLean’s win put a big smile on all our faces too. We love celebrating all wins, especially one that will pay off for this young man for 20 years," Van Denton, spokesperson for the North Carolina Education Lottery, told FOX Business in an email.
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"It’s a thrill to meet lucky winners like Mr. McLean as the lottery raises money for education programs in North Carolina," he said.
Jumbo Bucks, the game McLean won, debuted in June, said the North Carolina Education Lottery.
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Of the seven $1 million top prizes, five have been claimed, the lottery said.
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