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Lottery winner scores $2 million in SC — and his parents were the first to know

Officials said the man had a “lucky” feeling when he bought the winning ticket. It was worth $2 million.
Officials said the man had a “lucky” feeling when he bought the winning ticket. It was worth $2 million. ASSOCIATED PRESS

A South Carolina man hit the jackpot — and “couldn’t wait to tell” his mom and dad, officials said.

The winner picked up the phone after he found out he won a $2 million prize, according to the S.C. Education Lottery.

“I called my parents,” the man, who declined to be publicly identified, said in an April 27 news release.

The winner scored the windfall after a trip to the Ashley Mobil store in North Charleston. Officials said the man was “feeling lucky” when he spent $10 on a ticket for the Instant Millions scratch-off game.

It turns out, the ticket beat odds of more than 1 in 2.6 million to win the game’s top prize. The winner kept $1.38 million after taxes, lottery spokesperson Holli Armstrong told McClatchy News in an email.

“I’m going to start my own business,” the lucky ticket holder told lottery officials.

It’s not the first time someone has rushed to share news about a lottery win with family.

Another man who won big in South Carolina made sure his mom was the first to know, McClatchy News reported in May.

BEHIND THE STORY

MORE

When gambling is more than a game

Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published April 28, 2022 at 7:22 AM with the headline "Lottery winner scores $2 million in SC — and his parents were the first to know."

Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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