Lee County man hugs store clerk after $2M lottery scratch-off win

SANFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Lee County man is still celebrating after a huge lottery win.

Sheldon McDougald, of Broadway, bought a $20 scratch-off ticket on Tuesday and won a $2 million prize.

"I went up to the clerk and ... gave her a hug," he recalled. "I asked her, 'was this real?' And she was like, 'Yeah.'"

McDougald bought his $2,000,000 Riches ticket from the Circle K on Broadway Road in Sanford.

"I was just like, 'It can't be,'" he said. "Two million, I couldn't believe it."

McDougald said the win still hasn't sunk in, but the timing is good.

"It's always a good time to win some money," he said with a laugh.

McDougald went to lottery headquarters in Raleigh to collect his prize and had to decide between 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 $864,126.

"It feels good," he said. "Anybody can win."

McDougald said he plans to invest his winnings and take care of his family.