Shop Worker Plans ‘Mortgage-Burning’ Party after Big Lottery Win
Wednesday April 27th 2016A North Carolina man who bought a winning lottery ticket at the store where he works is planning to celebrate with a ‘mortgage-burning’ party. Michael Zimmerman, from Liberty in Randolph County, became the first winner of the top prize in the new Millionaire Bucks game when he scratched off a ticket worth $4 million.
He decided to take home the lump sum rather than go for the annuity option and ended up taking home a staggering $1.6 million. Zimmerman is now looking forward to paying off the mortgage on his home, saying in a news release from the North Carolina Education Lottery: “I have always wanted to know what it’s like to own my own house. I’ll have to have an old-fashioned mortgage-burning party.”
Zimmerman is employed at the Ready Mart on North Main Street in Randleman as an assistant manager and popped in on his day off. He bought one $20 ticket and won nothing, but he had a feeling that he should play again and was amazed to discover his good fortune. “I almost fell down,” he said as he was presented with his check. “I was totally stunned, like a deer in the headlights.”
Millionaire Bucks was only launched in January, with three top prizes of $4 million and five prizes of $1 million. Following Zimmerman’s success there are just two prizes of $4 million remaining, along with four prizes of $1 million, as North Carolina lottery players go in search of big wins.
The introduction of Millionaire Bucks has also contributed to a great year for the North Carolina Education Lottery. It was announced this week that more than $200 million had been transferred to educational initiatives in the third quarter of the 2016 fiscal year, powered by good instant ticket sales and the world-record Powerball jackpot. The total transfers for the fiscal year now stand at $469.7 million, which is well on course for a new record.
“Our 10th year is shaping up to be another record-breaking year,” said Alice Garland, executive director of the North Carolina Education Lottery. “We know we are going to surpass our goal for the year. The question now is how far beyond $529 million will our earnings go. Every one of those extra dollars will help make a difference for education in North Carolina.”
As North Carolina players continue to enjoy great games like Millionaire Bucks, Powerball and Cash 5, they can feel reassured that more money than ever is benefitting education in the state and more big winners like Michael Zimmerman are sure to be able to hold their own mortgage-burning parties in the months to come.
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