RALEIGH, N.C. — (Editor's note: The attached video is from a previous story)
A Davie County man is now $1 million richer! When Roger Hutchens of Mocksville got the call from the lottery telling him that he had won $1 million, he thought it was a friend playing a joke.
“To start with, I thought it was my buddy messing with me,” said Hutchens. “I was a little hesitant. It was really pretty awesome once I found out it was the real deal.”
According to a release for the NC Education Lottery, the lucky phone call came Friday afternoon as Hutchens was visiting his wife at work for a lunch date.
“It’s really great knowing it’s for real,” he said. “I’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting. It’s gonna help out with a lot of things.”
Roger's entry was chosen from over 680,000 entries in the July 8 Colossal Cash second-chance drawing. Winners of second-chance drawings receive a phone call or email notifying them that they won.
“The drawing was on July 8th and that was one of my daughter’s birthday,” said Hutchens. “She may tell me that it was her luck that I won!”
Hutchens claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. He had the choice of taking the $1 million as an annuity of 20 payments of $50,000 a year or a lump sum of $600,000. He chose the lump sum and after required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $424,500.
Hutchens, an IT specialist at a community college, and his wife plan to use the winnings to help pay some bills.
“We have some college loans that this’ll help with so the kids don’t have payments when they get married,” he said. “I have a daughter that’s getting married in March, so this is going to help in a lot of ways.”
According to the NC Education Lottery, one Colossal Cash second-chance drawing remains. Each drawing offers 29 prizes including the grand prize of $1 million, three $10,000 prizes, and 25 prizes of $500.