RALEIGH, N.C. — Demetrius Underwood of Eastover has 10 million more reasons to celebrate the New Year.
He is the first player to win a $10 million prize playing the Colossal Cash scratch-off game.
Underwood's good luck happened Saturday when he stopped at the EPCO 3 Way Food Mart on Dunn Road in Eastover to get an orange-flavored Powerade. While he was there, he bought a scratch-off ticket.
“I bought the 13th ticket on the roll,” Underwood said. “I always get the 13th, but for some reason, this time I also asked for the 14th.”
He took the tickets home and scratched them after he pulled into his driveway. He didn't win anything on the first ticket, but then scratched off the second one.
“I jumped out of the car and started yelling for my wife,” Underwood said. “We just didn’t believe it. We were speechless.”
Underwood claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After state and federal taxes, he took home $4,230,069. He plans to pay off his mortgage and his wife's student loans.
“It’s a dream come true to be debt free,” Underwood said. “It’s a huge blessing.”
The $30 scratch-off game launched in August with four top prizes of $10 million and 16 $1 million prizes. Three of the $10 million prizes and 13 of the $1 million prize tickets are still out there!
Players can also enter their Colossal Cash tickets into one of the four second-chance drawings for a chance to win $1 million.
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