Man has fishy plans after his big lottery win in North Carolina
Kenneth Kiriazes waited almost a month after buying his Lucky for Life lottery ticket before he checked his numbers.
When the 64-year-old from Zebulon, North Carolina finally got the ticket out of his truck on Sunday, Sept. 18, he was “stunned,” he told lottery officials in a Sept. 20 news release.
Kiriazes won $25,000 per year for life with his ticket.
“I did that happy dance,” he said. “Something like this is a blessing.”
The ticket, which Kiriazes purchased from the Swift Mart on Marshburn Road in Wendell for the Aug. 23 drawing, was a $2 Quick Pick, officials said.
After discovering his winnings Sunday, Kiriazes claimed his prize on Monday, Sept. 19.
He opted to take home a lump sum rather than receiving the annual $25,000 for the rest of his life. Kiriazes took home $267, 990 after federal and state taxes.
Kiriazes already has big plans for his winnings, he told officials.
“I’m planning a Key West trip for April to do some fishing down there,” he said. He also has plans to build a new deck for his house.
The winning ticket matched all five balls in the Lucky for Life drawing, officials said. The odds of winning Kiriazes’ prize are 1 in 1,813,028. Lucky for Life drawings are held every night, and players can buy tickets through a retail location, on the lottery’s website or using the NC Lottery’s app.
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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