Photo: Getty Images
Winning a huge lottery prize opens up many doors. Many lottery winners use their prize to buy a new car, remodel their home, or finally take their dream vacation. While all of these choices are a fun and worthwhile way to use their winnings, one man in North Carolina hopes to use his prize to start his own business.
Bryan Lopez-Muruato, of Clayton, recently stopped by the Circle K on Delta Lake Drive in Raleigh where he picked up a Millionaire Maker ticket. It wasn't until two weeks later when he finally scratched the ticket that he discovered he won the $1 million prize, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery.
"I couldn't believe it," the Jackson County man said. "I just kept reading the ticket."
Lopez-Muruato claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Monday (March 28), where he had the choice to receive his winnings as either an annuity of $50,000 per year over the course of 20 years or a one time, lump sum payment of $600,000. In the end, he chose the latter, bringing home a total of $426,069 after state and federal tax withholdings.
When asked what he plans to do with his new prize, he said he can finally have the opportunity to start his own company. The 21-year-old currently works as a construction worker for his father's concrete company, which he also plans to invest in.
"I'm really excited," he said. "This really opens opportunities for me and for my family."