A Kannapolis woman has won $3 million through the N.C. Education Lottery, lottery officials announced Thursday.
Monica Y. Wilson, a homemaker, says she plans to give to her church and then take a vacation and go shopping after winning the $3 million top prize in the $200 Million Extravaganza game, according to a press release.
Wilson bought her winning ticket Tuesday at the Raceway on Brookshire Avenue in Charlotte and then discovered her win after scratching the ticket at her husbandís office.
ěI still donít believe it,î Wilson said to lottery officials Wednesday as she claimed her prize. ěNo words. Just excited.î
Wilsonís win means she will receive $150,000 a year for 20 years. She received the first payment, $102,006 after taxes were withheld, on Wednesday.
Wilson claimed the last of five $3 million prizes in the instant game, which began in October 2009. All of the 10 $1 million prizes have also been claimed.
According to lottery officials, since the lottery began through June 30 of this year, Cabarrus County education programs received more than $39.6 million in lottery funds. By law, those funds pay for teachersí salaries, school construction, need-based college scholarships and prekindergarten programs.
Players in Cabarrus County have won more than $58.5 million in prizes since the lotteryís inception.
Rowan County has received more than $26 million in lottery funds for education programs, and lottery winnings for local players are $51.1 million.
To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.1 billion for education statewide.