Fayetteville Man Lands $1 Million From $50 Scratch-Off

A $50 scratch-off ticket turned into a million-dollar windfall for James Holloway at VaVa Food Mart in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Instead of yearly payments, he picked a one-time payout of $600,000.

After state and federal taxes bit into his winnings, Holloway pocketed $430,514, according to NC Education Lottery officials. His winning ticket came from the "$10 Million Spectacular" scratch-off series that started last December.

The game debuted in December 2023 with big money on the line — five $10 million prizes and 20 worth $1 million each. Players still have shots at two top jackpots and four million-dollar prizes. Twenty $100,000 prizes were part of the mix, too, with four unclaimed.

Last year's lottery funds sent $22.3 million to Cumberland County schools. This cash supports various learning programs in local classrooms.

The Cumberland Road store sold the lucky ticket. Since the game's start, it ranks as one of the biggest payouts.