Durham County woman wins first $1 million prize in Big Money game

Margarita Mendez of Durham became the first person to find one of the top prizes of $1 million in the Big Money game.

Mendez bought her lucky $10 ticket at Han-Dee Hugo’s on N.C. 55 West in Cary. She claimed her prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.

Winners of the top prize have a choice of receiving their prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. Mendez chose the lump sum and after required state and federal tax withholdings received $424,503.

The Big Money game started this month with three top prizes of $1 million. Two of those prizes remain to be claimed.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $700 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have helped all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.