Athens, Georgia man wins $2 million prize on North Carolina's "100X The Cash"

A Georgia man has won the last $2 million top prize on North Carolina's 100X The Cash, the North Carolina Education Lottery said Friday. Angel Navarrete of Athens, Georgia bought the $20 ticket at The Local Market on U.S. 64 East in Hayesville, the seat of Clay County, on the Georgia - North Carolina state line.

Navarrete was with his parents, who like to play the game on weekends, the lottery said. The family bought the winning ticket and a few others, went back to the car, and each picked tickets at random. “I was like, ‘Is this real? Am I reading this right?’” Navarrete told lottery officials.

When he claimed the prize Thursday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, he had the decision to take $100,000 a year for 20 years annuity or a lump sum of $1.2 million, 60% of the advertised prize. He took the lump sum, and after required federal and state withholding, about 28% in all, he left with $864,126. He plans to pay bills, invest, and save. He will owe more taxes next April as with this win he fits in the 37% top federal tax bracket.

The game launched in January 2025 with four $2 million prizes in a run of about 6.2 million tickets, odds of 1 in 1.54 million for each. With all four now claimed, the lottery said it will start the process of ending the game. North Carolina Education Lottery data shows its six $100,000 prizes are gone as well, two of its 30 prizes of $10,000 remain, and about 96% of tickets have sold. An earlier 100X The Cash from 2022 is no longer on sale, though its data still lists one of its eight $2 million prizes as unclaimed.

Athens has a recent history with last prizes. In September, a ticket sold at a Kwik Stop there took what appears to be the final $4 million prize on Georgia's 200X The Money. North Carolina's border stores sell plenty of tickets to out-of-state buyers, including a Tennessee man who won $5 million earlier this year, and prizes are claimed in the state where the ticket was bought.

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NC Education Lottery: Georgia man claims $2 million prize surrounded by family