North Carolina Man Finds $20, Uses It to Win $1 Million Lottery

Sometimes to have all your wildest dreams come true in life you just need to be in the right place at the right time. A man named Jerry Hicks in North Carolina experienced that firsthand when a little bit of financial luck soon spun into a windfall.

Jerry is a 56-year-old master carpenter from a town called Banner Elk. He was heading into a convenience store, walking through the parking lot as one does, when he spotted a $20 bill lying on the ground.

For most of us, that’s a major victory unto itself. The kind that makes you want to just call it a day because nothing will top it. Hell, most of us celebrate when we find a five-dollar bill in an old pair of jeans. Finding $20 just lying there, ripe for the taking, is the closest many will ever get to actually winning a jackpot.

With free money in hand, Jerry proceeded into the convenience store to buy a scratch-off lotto ticket. He ended up selecting one called Extreme Cash – only because the one he usually buys wasn’t available. Immediately scratching off the ticket, he found out that he had just won $1 million. One bit of good fortune instantly spun into an even greater bit of good fortune.

Jerry took his winning ticket to the North Carolina education lottery headquarters to claim his prize. He opted for the lump sum over the 20-year annuity, which awarded him $600,000. He’s a 56-year-old blue-collar worker. He may not have 20 years. Get that money now. After taxes, Jerry is taking home $429,007.

Jerry says that he’s going to use that $429K to help out his kids financially and to retire from what was likely a fun but physically demanding life as a carpenter — but not before he does a little celebrating.

“We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve got,” he said. I hope that man stuffs himself with so much fried shrimp that they have to carry him out in a wheelbarrow. Now go when the sweet life with your financial windfall, Jerry. You’re living the dream, man.