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Charlotte area man buys $2 lottery ticket, scores a $1 million MegaMillions prize

As the North Carolina Mega Millions lottery jackpot soared to over $200 million, a Matthews man decided to give the game a try and bought a $2 ticket.

Kevin Yang of Matthews matched all five white balls in the May 5 drawing to win a $1 million prize, North Carolina Education Lottery officials said Tuesday. The odds of winning that prize are 1 in 12.6 million.

Yang bought his Quick Pick ticket at Plaza Sundries II, near the Charlotte Transportation Center on East Trade Street uptown.

After taxes, Yang took home $707,501, lottery officials said.

He told lottery officials that he will pay off his house and some bills. Most importantly, he said, “this will make it easier to retire” sooner than later.

The Mega Millions jackpot stands at $274 million as an annuity prize, or $221.8 million cash, in Tuesday night’s drawing, according to the lottery website.

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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