PEMBROKE — A local couple is more than $400,000 richer thanks to a recent quick stop at the Kia Quick Mart on N.C. 42 West in Clayton on their way to work last week.
“We stop there every morning for gas,” said Rogerick Bullard, an electrician. “I always get a lottery ticket and the clerk tells me, ‘Good luck! I hope you hit.’ This time I did!”
Bullard and his wife, Maggie, both of Pembroke, can now pay off their dream home before moving in thanks to the lucky $10 Crown Jewels scratch-off ticket they bought Thursday, according to a statement from the North Carolina Education Lottery Commission.
“It’s a dream come true,” Maggie said. “It came at the perfect time. We’re in the middle of building a four-bedroom, two-bath home, and now we’ll be able to have it all paid for. This is just such a relief.”
At first, Maggie thought it was too good to be true.
“I was texting on my phone when he scratched the ticket,” Maggie said. “I heard him say ‘look at this’ to one of his buddies. ‘Does this say $1 million?’ I thought they were joking so I didn’t even look up.”
“I told her to come see if I was looking at it right.” Rogerick said. “We couldn’t believe it.”
The Bullards drove straight to Raleigh to claim their prize, choosing to take a lump sum of $600,000, leaving them a take-home balance of $423,009 after the required state and federal tax withholdings.
They plan to move into their new home in September.
Crown Jewels was launched in May with six top prizes of $1 million. Four top prizes remain. This ticket offers four different games and 44 chances to win.
For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.
