North Carolina man ‘got a wild hair’ to buy lottery ticket, wins $10 million jackpot

A North Carolina man paid $50 for a scratch-off ticket while stopping for gas, never imagining he’d return home with a $10 million jackpot, lottery officials said Thursday.

“It was actually the first time I’ve bought a $50 ticket,” the man said when he claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh this week, according to a lottery news release. “I won $100 earlier on a $5 ticket, so I decided to give it a try.”

Maiden resident Sean McIntosh bought the winning $10 Million Spectacular ticket Wednesday at Jones Exxon Inc. on N.C. 16 South near Lake Norman.

He beat odds of 1 in 3.11 million , according to the $10 Million Spectacular page on the lottery website.

McIntosh said he bought the ticket on a hunch.

“If I get a wild hair to do something, I’m going to listen,” he said with a laugh.

McIntosh said he didn’t know how to react when he realized he’d won the jackpot.

“It’s just been a blur since then,” he said. “When you buy it, you never really expect something like this to actually happen.”

McIntosh had the choice of a $500,000 annuity over 20 years or a $6 million lump sum.

Choosing the lump sum, he took home $4,290,014 after taxes, officials said.

He said he’ll invest his winnings and take care of his children with the money.

The $10 Million Spectacular started in December with five top $10 million prizes, 20 $1 million prizes and 20 $100,000 prizes. Three $10 million prizes, 15 $1 million prizes and 12 $100,000 prizes remain to be won.