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A woman in North Carolina is celebrating a massive win in the state lottery, scoring the final $2 million top prize in the Premier Cash game.
Melba Avery, a U.S. Forest Service cafeteria supervisor from Pisgah Forest, recently purchased the scratch-off ticket at the One Stop 4 on Hendersonville Highway, a move that landed her a massive $2 million win, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery.
"When I saw how much I won, I immediately fell to my knees," she recalled. "The lady at the register told me I had to claim at an office."
Avery did, in fact, claim her prize at lottery headquarters on Friday (February 3), where she had to choose between accepting her prize as an annuity of $100,000 over the course of 20 years or as a one time, lump sum payment of $1.2 million. She ultimately chose the latter, taking home an incredible $855,006 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what she plans to do with her new winnings, she told lottery officials she has a few ideas, namely getting the car of her dreams.
"I can get the car of my dreams. Maybe I'll get an Infiniti or an Escalade in cream or black," Avery said. She added that the prize will also allow her to help out loved ones and live "comfortably." "I'll be able to live comfortably. And I can take care of my family."
She also hopes to use her prize to help out her church and start a landscaping or courier business.