North Carolina man wins $1 million on a $10 scratch-off
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Mark Sanderson of Williamston bought a $10 50X The Cash scratch-off on Friday and won its $1 million top prize, the NC Education Lottery said. He bought the ticket at Williamston Family Fare on West Main Street and claimed the prize Thursday, November 5, at lottery headquarters.
He had two choices: $50,000 a year for 20 years, or a lump sum of $600,000. He took the cash, and after the required 24% federal and 3.99% North Carolina withholding, went home with $432,063.
| $600,000 cash | $50,000 a year for 20 years | |
|---|---|---|
| Before tax | $600,000 | $1,000,000 in total |
| Withheld at the claim | $167,940 | Per payment |
| Federal tax, 2026 brackets | $173,134 | $3,820 a year |
| North Carolina tax at 3.99% | $23,940 | $1,995 a year |
| Kept after all taxes | About $402,900 | About $44,200 a year, $883,700 total |
A $600,000 lump sum pushes most of the money into the 35% federal bracket, and the winner owes about $29,100 more at filing than was withheld. A $50,000 yearly payment, for someone with no other income, stays mostly in the 10% and 12% brackets, so the combined tax rate is about 11.6%. That is why the annuity's after-tax total, about $883,700, is more than twice the cash. Real winners usually have other income, which raises the tax on each payment, and the cash can be invested right away, so the right answer differs from person to person. Our annuity versus cash explainer covers how scratch-off top prizes are paid.
This 50X The Cash launched in January with 12 top prizes of $1 million, and nine remain. With about 20.5 million tickets printed, that is roughly 1 in 1.7 million per ticket for a top prize, and about 29% of the tickets have sold. The game wins 1 in 3.79 times and returns 74.8% of sales, a little above North Carolina's $10 average of 74.4%. An older game with the same name, launched in February 2025, is 91% sold and has one top prize left. The lottery said Martin County received a $62 million lottery-funded grant to build a new high school. More North Carolina winners are on the North Carolina scratch-offs page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the $1 million 50X The Cash prize in Williamston?
Mark Sanderson of Williamston, in Martin County. He bought the $10 ticket at Williamston Family Fare on West Main Street and claimed the prize November 5, 2026, taking the $600,000 lump sum and $432,063 after withholding.
Is the cash option or the annuity better on a $1 million North Carolina scratch-off?
It depends on the winner's other income. With no other income, $50,000 a year for 20 years would net about $883,700 after 2026 federal and state tax, against about $403,000 from the $600,000 cash. The cash comes at once and can be invested.
How many $1 million prizes are left on North Carolina's 50X The Cash?
Nine of 12, the NC Education Lottery said November 5, 2026. The $10 game launched in January 2026, wins 1 in 3.79 times overall, and about 29% of its tickets have sold.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
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