‘Luckiest guy in the universe’ says lottery player, 18, who won $1 million – but ‘rare’ move means he won just $35,000 this month

A YOUNG lottery player won a huge $1 million jackpot, but in a rare twist, only received $35,000.

Jalen McLean, 18, got lucky with the grand prize and has a goal of buying a car to celebrate.

“I feel like the luckiest guy in the universe,” he told the North Carolina Education Lottery.

McLean told authorities he plans to buy an Audi with his winnings.

He gave money to his sister, Dasha Silas, to buy a lottery ticket and she was present when he found out he won the jackpot.

“He had a big smile on his face,” Silas told authorities.

“So big he looked like the character from the movie Venom.”

McLean spent $10 to pay for the Jumbo Bucks scratch-off game, which he purchased at a Valero gas station in Fayetteville, North Carolina — about 60 miles southwest of Raleigh.

“How many 18-year-olds get something like that?” he said.

Whenever a person wins the lottery, they have the option of claiming the prize by choosing between a lump sum or an annual fee.

By choosing the lump sum, players will lose a portion of their after-tax winnings.

If McLean chose the lump sum, he would have walked away with $600,000, but he opted for the annuity option instead.

This means his $1 million prize will be split into $50,000 payments he will receive over the course of next 20 years.

He received his first paycheck, which was $35,753 after taxes.

A lottery official said The news and the observer that McLean’s decision was “very rare”.

Most winners claim their prizes in fixed amounts, however, there have been some exceptions.

Another lottery winner in North Carolina made the difficult decision to choose annual dues when he won the lottery in January of this year.

Top US Lottery Winners

Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.

• Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
• Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, California.
• Unknown Winner – $1.602 Billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, Florida.
• Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
• Unknown Winner – $1.537 Billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
• Winner unknown – he sued his child’s mother to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
• Unknown Winner – $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
• Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
• Yanira Álvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
• Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
• Winner unknown – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.

Donald Ledford became an instant millionaire when he won a $30 Millionaire Maker scratch-off ticket.

After much thought, he decided to opt for an annuity instead of a lump sum.

Ledford said he spoke with an attorney and financial advisor before making his choice.

“It’s like winning $50,000 twenty times,” he told lottery officials.

“Now we can enjoy this for many, many years to come.”