Found $20, Won $1 Million: Jerry’s Lucky Day!

Quick Smiles:

• Jerry Hicks finds $20 and wins $1 million with a lottery ticket.
• Fate intervenes when his original choice is unavailable, leading to his big win.
• Plans include a celebratory feast and a well-deserved retirement.

In a delightful twist of fate, Jerry Hicks from Banner Elk, North Carolina, turned an unexpected find into a life-changing win.

While going about his day, Hicks stumbled upon a $20 bill in a parking lot.

This serendipitous moment led him to purchase an Extreme Cash scratch-off lottery ticket on October 22.

Hicks shared, “I found $20 in the parking lot outside the Speedway.”

He decided to use this unexpected windfall to try his luck with the lottery.

Upon entering a store in Boone, he faced another twist: the ticket he initially wanted was unavailable.

“They actually didn’t have the ticket I was looking for, so I bought that one instead,” Hicks explained.

This unforeseen choice resulted in a $1 million win.

On October 25, Hicks turned in his winning ticket at the North Carolina lottery headquarters.

He was presented with two options for receiving his prize: either $50,000 annually over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000.

Choosing the latter, he received $429,007 after taxes.

Celebration plans were simple yet joyful.

“We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve got,” Hicks declared.

Looking ahead, Hicks, a master carpenter for 56 years, is considering retirement.

He also plans to use his winnings to support his children, marking a new chapter in his life.

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