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But a few hours later, the North Carolina guy checked his lottery tickets and found that he had won a Mega Millions prize of $ 2 million.
Dowe was on his way to work Saturday – the day after the $ 1 billion jackpot was drawn – when he collided with the deer in his 2021 Kia K5, North Carolina Education Lottery officials said.
“So I just got mad, went back home, got into bed and went to sleep,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. Then I woke up and checked my tickets.
“I checked the fourth card and I saw the ‘4’ and then the next number and the next number and the next number. I thought, ‘Wow!’ It was just crazy. “
Dowe ended up matching all five white balls – beating the 1 in 12.6 million odds – to win the $ 1 million prize. It doubled to $ 2 million when the 2x Megaplier was pulled.
“I went to my mom and dad and everyone was happy,” he said in the statement.
Dowe took his prize on Monday and took home $ 1.4 million, after withholding state and federal taxes.
The winning ticket to the Mega Millions jackpot was sold at a Kroger store in Novi, Michigan, according to a Mega Millions press release.
Dowe plans to spend the money on some repairs at his parents’ house, to pay off his niece’s car and to buffer his savings, he said, according to the statement.
He’ll also get his own new car fixed, he said – and pay it off.