What started as a post-holiday habit for Ray Abbott, a Raleigh man who loads his losing scratch-off tickets into his lottery account, ended with a $1 million surprise and a very excited spouse. After learning he had snagged the top prize in a state lottery drawing, Abbott told reporters his wife is “freaking out” and described the whole thing as “wild” as he tried to process the news.
For Abbott, the win capped a low-key Christmas ritual of turning nonwinning holiday tickets into second-chance entries through his lottery account, a routine that suddenly became anything but ordinary.
The Merry Million second-chance drawing took place on Feb. 4 and featured one $1 million top prize, two $25,000 prizes and ten $5,000 prizes, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery. Players earn entries by scanning eligible holiday scratch-offs into their Lucke-Rewards accounts, which converts nonwinning tickets into entries for scheduled drawings. The lottery posts rules and entry periods for each second-chance promotion on its website.
Abbott claimed his winnings at the lottery’s Raleigh headquarters on Feb. 13 and opted for a lump-sum payout, walking away with $432,060 after taxes, the News & Observer reports. He told the paper the windfall still did not feel real and said he plans to take his family on vacation with part of the money. Lottery officials noted that Abbott’s tickets were automatically entered into the Merry Million drawing once he uploaded his nonwinning scratch-offs to his lottery account.
How second-chance entries work and where to get help
Second-chance promotions let players turn losing scratch-off tickets into drawing entries by uploading the ticket information to their Lucke-Rewards account. The lottery explains eligibility, prize levels and deadlines for each promotion on its website.
For help with problem gambling, the National Council on Problem Gambling operates a national helpline at 1-800-522-4700, and the lottery offers Play Smart resources and a local helpline, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery. Officials also urge big winners to talk with tax and financial professionals before making major decisions about their new money.
