A man in North Carolina is still in disbelief after scoring a $200,000 prize in a second-chance drawing, a prize that he already has big plans for in the future.
Michael Harrington, of Raleigh, won big on Wednesday (November 8) when his entry for the fifth and final Carolina Jackpot Second Chance drawing was chosen out of the 4.1 million entries to score the grand prize, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery.
Speaking to lottery officials, Harrington said it took a few tries of reading the email he got to understand that he was the big winner.
"I had to read the email three times before I realized it," he said, adding, "I'm in disbelief still. But I'm exited."
Harrington claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Wednesday, taking home a grand total of $142,500 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. According to lottery officials, he already has plans for what to do with his winnings that are both practical and extravagant. Not only will he use some of the funds to pay bills but he plans to use additional moneys to spoil his mother when he takes her on a cruise.
"I was already planning to take her, but now she can have even more fun on the cruise," he said.