Durham man scores $8M win on scratch-off ticket: 'I hit the big one'

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Everett Harris of Durham had felt pretty good about his recent lottery tickets, going on a streak of winnings, but then he "hit the big one."

On Monday, Harris won the first $8 million prize in the new $8 Million Money Maker lottery game.

"I was just on a roll," he said. "Every ticket seemed to be a winner."

He bought the big winner, which cost $50, at Tommy's Mini Mart on South Miami Boulevard in Durham.

"I really didn't believe what I was seeing," he said. "I hit the big one."

Harris collected his winnings on Tuesday at lottery headquarters. Asked to choose an annuity of $400,000 a year over 20 years or a lump sum of $4.8 million, he chose the lump sum. After state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $3,444,014.

"It's all luck, and it was my lucky day yesterday," Harris said.

He said he plans to use the money to buy a new truck, work on his house, and pay some bills.

The $8 Million Money Maker game debuted in December with five top prizes of $8 million and 10 prizes of $100,000. Four $8 million prizes and nine $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

The only $100,000 prize won so far also happened in the Triangle. Jose Iglesias of Raleigh won that amount recently on the $8 Million Money Maker scratch-off ticket.