Grandma picks lottery ticket because she likes the colors — and wins huge NC prize

Lottery winners often credit unusual methodologies, but one North Carolina woman says her $4 million win was all about the right colors.

Rachel Sadler of Lincolnton paid $30 for a Supreme 7s scratch-off on Tuesday, Aug. 6, and faced odds of 1 in 2,262,495, the N.C. Education Lottery reports.

“It was my first time buying that ticket,” Sadler said in a news release. “I guess I just liked the blue and white color.”

She became the first and only person so far to win a top prize in the game, which launched July 2. There are three more $4 million top prizes waiting to be won.

“I think I’m still in a state of shock,” Sadler said.

Curiously, the ticket she chose is among the least exciting produced by the lottery. Most tickets include flashy graphics and loud colors, but the Supreme 7s just has a big blue 7 against a white background. Winners have to match numbers and the prizes start at $50.

Sadler was had a tough choice when she showed up in Raleigh to claim her money: Take an annuity of $200,000 over 20 years or get a lump sum of $2.4 million.

She took the lump sum, which was whittled to $1,716,009 after state and federal taxes.

Sadler didn’t offer specifics on what she intends to do with the cash, but noted she has a lot of grandchildren. “I want to make sure they have a nice future,” she said.

The ticket was purchased at the Save Mart on East Main Street in Lincolnton, which is about a 40-mile drive northwest from Charlotte.

This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 12:14 PM with the headline "Grandma picks lottery ticket because she likes the colors — and wins huge NC prize."