North Carolina

Big lottery win gives NC man a flashy spending plan — a tricked-out pickup truck

Levi Hutchens bought $5 ticket was purchased at the Jonestown Shell in Winston-Salem and it beat odds of 1 in 1,666,395, according to the N.C. Education Lottery.
Levi Hutchens bought $5 ticket was purchased at the Jonestown Shell in Winston-Salem and it beat odds of 1 in 1,666,395, according to the N.C. Education Lottery. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Extravagant vacations and new houses are common choices for lottery winners, but Levi Hutchens is planning something else with his “life-changing” prize in the North Carolina Education Lottery.

It starts with a new Dodge pickup, followed by some customizing — the kind that turns heads on the street.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to get a lifted truck,” Hutchens said in an Aug. 25 news release.

Hutchens won $200,000, which is a top prize in the Diamond 10X game, state lottery officials said.

His $5 ticket was purchased at the Jonestown Shell in Winston-Salem and beat odds of 1 in 1,666,395.

He picked up the prize Friday, Aug. 22, and it came to $143,501 after federal and state taxes, which is still enough money to fulfill his dream.

An expensive Dodge Tungsten can cost around $88,000, Ramtrucks.com reports. And getting a vehicle lifted can cost up to $15,000, Realtruck.com says.

Lifting is an attention-grabbing upgrade that typically involves raising a vehicle’s body higher off the road.

Hutchens also hopes to invest cash in some home renovations, if there’s enough cash.

“I would see those stories of people winning and wonder when my day would come,” Hutchens told lottery officials. “I was always like, ‘Why not me.’”

Diamond 10X launched in December with four top prizes of $200,000 and Hutchens won the last of them. That means the game will soon end, officials said.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

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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Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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