Rocky Mount trucker wins $10M scratch-off prize

The 53-year-old Rocky Mount native won the $10 million top prize in the Ultimate Millions scratch-off game, which the North Carolina Education Lottery started last fall.

Harris said he was driving home from work at about 1 a.m. on April 29 when he stopped at the E.P. Mart, at 130 N. Old Carriage Road in Rocky Mount, to grab a cup of coffee. Feeling lucky, he also plunked down $90 for three Ultimate Millions tickets.

"My mouth just fell open," he said of his reaction when he saw that one of his tickets was a winner.

"I wanted to call somebody, but everyone was asleep. So, I went home," he said.

Harris told his 24-year-old son later that morning – "Can I cuss?" his son asked – and has kept the secret within his family since then.

On Monday, however, lottery officials let the secret out during a news conference with him.

"I don't feel different. I just have some money, so I can do what I want to now. It's a blessing," Harris said.

He plans to take a lump-sum payout of $6 million, or about $4.1 million after taxes.

The Army veteran said he plans to keep working but wants to use the money to buy his own big rig and have someone else drive for him. He also wants to vacation in Hawaii.

Two more $10 million Ultimate Millions prizes are still available, as are nine $1 million prizes – 10 of those have already been awarded – and two second-chance drawings for $1 million, lottery director Alice Garland said.

The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 3.9 million, Garland said.