Harnett County man almost gives up on scratch-off ticket purchase, wins $2 million

ANGIER, N.C. -- A Harnett County man said he almost gave up buying a scratch-off ticket after his card wouldn't work, but tried again and won $2 million.

Kenneth Skipper of Angier bought a $20 "$2 Million Vault" ticket from Circle V Mart on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville.

"There was some type of problem with the card reader," he told the NC Education Lottery. "I tried like three times in a row, but for some reason it wasn't working."

Skipper said he was prepared to give up, but the store clerk suggested he try swapping his card one more time.

"On that last try, it finally went through," he said.

Skipper said after scratching the ticket, he sat for five minutes staring at it before calling his wife and telling her the good news.

"I called my wife and told her, 'I think I just won the lottery,'" he said. "She started freaking out."

Skipper said he then went back in the store to find the clerk who sold him the ticket.

"I pulled her to the side and said, 'You've just changed my life,'" he said.

Skipper was given the opportunity to receive an annuity of $100,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.2 million. He chose the lump sum of $1.2 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $861,006.

Skipper's prize was the first $2 million prize of the game, according to the education lottery.

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