First-Time Lottery Player Wins $5M on Scratch-Off Ticket: 'I Didn't Think It Was Real'
North Carolina resident Jarett Allen was revealed as the sixth and final winner of the state's top lottery prize on Thursday, Jan. 9
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Lottery tickets line the counter area at Eagles Express in Knightdale, N.C.A North Carolina man has won the top prize in the state's lottery after playing for the first time.
Jarett Allen from Burnsville won $5,000,000 in the N.C. lottery on Thursday, Jan. 9, after purchasing a $30 200X The Cash ticket from his local Riverside General Store, according to an official news release.
According to the release, the lucky winner decided to play the lottery alongside his dad at the time, who also enjoys playing.
“It was the first lottery ticket I’ve ever bought,” Allen said, further recalling that “My dad chose the ticket for me."
Allen is the last winner of the state's six top lottery prizes and said he couldn’t believe the outcome when the numbers were revealed.
Jarett Allen of Burnsville bought a scratch-off on Thursday and won a $5 million prize! “It was the first lottery ticket I’ve ever bought,” Allen laughed. His 200X The Cash ticket was from Riverside General Store on U.S. 19 East. Congratulations, Jarett! https://t.co/FyM69WrqUx pic.twitter.com/AaEJyEHsbX
— NC Education Lottery (@nclottery) January 10, 2025
Related: Dad Gives Son '$1 Million Wedding Gift' After Lottery Win: 'Best Way to Get Him Out of My Basement'
“I didn’t think it was real,” he noted. “I thought I wasn’t looking at it right.”
Allen received a lump sum of $3,000,000 of his winnings on Friday, Jan. 10.
He decided to collect the lump sum as his prize instead of receiving a yearly payment of $250,000 over 20 years — bringing home $2,152,508 after required state and federal tax withholdings, per the release.
Allen now plans to invest his winnings after helping out his parents with their finances, according to the lottery.
AP Photo/Gerry Broome
Scratch-off lottery tickets at a checkout counter in Knightdale, N.C.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The 200X The Cash lottery began in March 2022. The game presented six top prizes of $5,000,000 and 18 $100,000 prizes for potential winners, according to the release.
The lottery has officially concluded with the announcement of the final winner and top prize.
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