Marine Corps veteran wins $10 million lotto prize while watching football

Monte Hukill purchased an Extreme Millions scratch-off ticket at a Fairway One Stop on Greensboro Road and returned home to play the game while he watched Thursday Night Football.

“I would scratch a number and then look back at the game,” he said. “I wasn’t really paying attention, but that sure did change.”

When Hukill realized he had won the game’s top prize, he called out to his wife, Gage, who ran downstairs fearing something was wrong.

“My first initial thought was the kids,” she said. “He showed me this ticket, and I just thought, ‘No way. Things like this just don’t happen to ordinary people like us.’”

The couple woke up at 5 a.m. the next day and drove to the high school where Hukill’s wife works so that she could finish lesson plans for the day before heading to Raleigh to cash the ticket.

Hukill chose to collect a lump sum payment for his winnings and received $4,170,069 after state and federal taxes. He said he plans to use the money to help his two kids pay for college and pay off his wife’s student loan debt.

“My wife went back to school at 42 to be a high school teacher,” Hukill said. “Education is important in our household, so once we get that settled, then we will think about what to do next.”

Hukill is the first player to win the top prize in the Extreme Millions game. Lottery officials said there are still three $10 million prizes and 13 $1 million prizes remaining.