North Carolina woman plans to purchase her dream car following a life-changing $10 million win

A Goldston resident and middle school teacher for over twenty years decided to try her luck with a 500X The Cash ticket. She bought the $50 scratch-off at the Murphy Express on New Chatham Road in Siler City, and to her amazement, it won her a staggering $10 million top prize. As she revealed the winning amount, she couldn't stop staring at it, thinking, This can't be, she recalled in an interview with a Lottery official. To claim the first top prize from the 500X The Cash ticket, she beat odds of 1 in 3,261,006. At the North Carolina Education Lottery headquarters, she faced a tough decision: take a lump sum of $6 million or receive the full $10 million in yearly installments of $500,000 over 20 years. Like many lottery winners, she opted for the lump sum, which, after taxes, boosted her bank account by $4,320,614. Excited about her windfall, the fortunate winner has big plans. She's fulfilling a lifelong dream of owning a BMW convertible, something she's wanted since she was 16. Additionally, she shared, Our daughter just got engaged, and after I won, I said, 'I've found a way to pay for the wedding.'

On January 30, 2026, the North Carolina Education Lottery introduced the 500X The Cash ticket. For $50, players can win prizes ranging from $50 to as much as $10 million. Following the win by a fortunate woman from Chatham County, four more top prizes are still up for grabs. This popular scratch-off also features tier-two and tier-three prizes of $250,000 and $50,000, respectively. Numerous smaller prizes are also available from this $50 ticket, with overall odds of winning any prize standing at 1 in 3.33.