In a stroke of remarkable luck, Jalen McLean, an 18-year-old high school student from Fayetteville, North Carolina, has become an overnight millionaire thanks to a $10 scratch card purchased by his sister, Dasha Silas. McLean, who is the youngest of five siblings, hit the jackpot with the Jumbo Bucks ticket on May 21.
Silas, who bought the winning scratch card from a Valero gas station on South McPherson Church Road, described the moment her brother realized his win. “He had a huge smile on his face. Like so big it looked like the movie character Venom,” she told officials from the North Carolina Education Lottery.
McLean claimed part of his $1 million prize from the lottery officials on May 22. Despite asking his sister to buy him a scratch card, it was Silas who chose the $10 Jumbo Bucks ticket that changed her brother’s life. According to reports from FOX 8, Silas watched as McLean scratched off the ticket to reveal the million-dollar win.
The Jumbo Bucks scratch-off game, which was first released on June 6, 2023, offers a top prize of $1 million. The game involves matching scratched-off numbers with the winning numbers, and players who find a 10X symbol win ten times the prize shown. The NC Education Lottery website states that Jumbo Bucks ticket holders can win prizes ranging from $10 to $1 million, with two grand prize tickets still available in North Carolina.
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McLean expressed his disbelief and excitement to lottery officials, stating, “I feel like the luckiest guy in the universe. How many 18-year-olds win something like this?”
Winners of the Jumbo Bucks game have the option to accept a lump sum payoff of $600,000 or receive the full $1 million prize as an annuity of $50,000 annually for 20 years. McLean opted for the annuity, ensuring a steady income until he turns 38. His first payment, after taxes, amounted to $35,753 and was issued on May 22.
The young winner has big plans for his newfound wealth, starting with purchasing an Audi. McLean’s story of luck and opportunity follows another significant win by 18-year-old Donnie Leviner, also from North Carolina, who recently won nearly $2 million from a scratch-off ticket.
The McLean family’s win has brought a wave of excitement and joy, highlighting how a simple decision to purchase a lottery ticket can lead to life-changing events. As McLean enjoys his winnings, his story serves as a reminder of the unpredictability and potential of lottery games.
For the North Carolina Education Lottery, stories like McLean’s not only generate excitement but also underscore the potential life-changing impacts of their games. With two grand prize tickets still available for the Jumbo Bucks game, many more North Carolinians are undoubtedly hopeful for their own lucky break.