North Carolina

Lottery win leaves NC dad in disbelief. Now, he has big plans to help his daughter

A dad won big after scoring a smaller prize in the same North Carolina lottery game, officials said.
A dad won big after scoring a smaller prize in the same North Carolina lottery game, officials said. N.C. Education Lottery

A $2 million lottery prize left a North Carolina dad in disbelief — and now he has big plans to help his daughter.

“This means she will have enough money to buy a house now,” Neil Becker told the N.C. Education Lottery.

But Becker’s generosity isn’t stopping there. In addition to helping his daughter put money toward a new home, he hopes to buy a car for his best friend, lottery officials wrote in an Oct. 23 news release.

Becker hit the jackpot after he stopped at a Triangle Mini Mart & Tobacco store in Durham. At the Hillsborough Road location, officials said he spent $20 on a ticket for the $100 Million Mega Cash scratch-off game.

Becker had won $1,000 while playing the same game in the past. But he said he didn’t expect to score the much bigger prize of $2 million.

“I still can’t believe it,” he told lottery officials. “It’s pretty astounding.”

Becker, who is from Durham, decided to take his prize in a $1.2 million lump sum. He kept $855,006 after taxes, officials said.

It’s not the first time a lottery player has considered helping loved ones. Another North Carolina winner wanted to help his daughter pay for college after he got richer, McClatchy News reported in January.

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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 October 24, 2023 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Lottery win leaves NC dad in disbelief. Now, he has big plans to help his daughter."

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