RALEIGH — Tomas Munoz of Montgomery County won the first $1 million top prize in the North Carolina Education Lottery’s new Triple Red 777 Jackpot game. Munoz purchased the $10 scratch-off ticket at the Candor V Mart on South Main Street in Candor, officials with the lottery said.
The Biscoe man claimed his prize this past Monday at lottery headquarters, where he chose to receive a one-time lump sum of $600,000 rather than an annuity. After state and federal tax withholdings, his final take-home amount was $396,060. The Triple Red 777 Jackpot game launched this month with three top prizes of $1 million, two of which have not yet been claimed.
Munoz said he selected the specific scratch-off ticket because it featured his lucky number.
“Seven is my number,” Munoz said. “I was born on the 7th in ’77.”
After purchasing the ticket, Munoz scratched it while still inside the store.
He said the realization of the win was immediate.
“I felt emotions all over my body,” Munoz said.
Munoz intends to use the winnings to make investments. He also plans to fund his ongoing work restoring classic cars.
Beyond individual prizes, the lottery provides funding for education programs across the state.
Montgomery County has received more than $2.6 million in grants raised by the lottery to support school construction projects, lottery officials said.
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
