‘It’s kind of surreal.’ Charlotte woman hits big NC lottery jackpot thanks to a friend
In a gift that kept on giving, a Charlotte woman hit a $2 million North Carolina lottery jackpot after receiving a scratch-off ticket as a present from a family friend.
“I could not believe it, honestly. You read it and you don’t believe it,” Karen Urtecho Sandrez said of the moment she realized she’d won, according to a North Carolina Education Lottery news release.
Urtecho Sandrez’s friend purchased the $20 100X the Cash ticket at Lucia Food Mart in Stanley, about 20 miles northwest of Charlotte in Gaston County, lottery officials said.
She had the option to receive either $100,000 a year for 20 years, or $1.2 million as a lump sum. She picked the lump sum, bringing home $849,006 after federal and state taxes.
“It’s kind of surreal,” Urtecho Sandrez told officials as she claimed her winnings last Thursday in Raleigh.
It’s the second time a Charlotte-area resident has won the top prize in the 100X the Cash game this year.
In January, Christopher Martin of Newton won $2 million with a ticket bought at Lake Norman Grocery in Mooresville, according to the lottery. Like Urtecho Sandrez, Martin also chose to take the $1.2 million one-time payout, the Observer reported.
Both beat odds of 1 in 3.03 million, according the N.C. Education Lottery website.
The 100X the Cash game debuted in December with 10 top prizes. Four remain, according to the lottery website.
This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 4:28 PM.