The sole winner of a May 28 Mega Millions drawing for $12 million has finally come forward.  Lottery officials said a Greensboro man turned in the ticket on Wednesday.

Mike Manheim, a retired businessman, and his wife, Faye, made the trip to Raleigh to claim their millions. The couple told lottery officials they have played the lottery since the North Carolina Education Lottery launched in 2006.

The couple chose the lump sum option of $7.8 million. They plan to use their money to invest in the stock market and visit family members across the country in an RV.

Since North Carolina joined Mega Millions, the Manheims are the first Mega Millions jackpot winners from a ticket sold in the state.

The ticket was purchased at the Quick Shop on West Market St. The store received a $50,000 retailer incentive award for selling the winning jackpot ticket.

(Click to display in gallery)Mike Manheim and his wife Faye claimed the first Mega Millions jackpot sold in the state of North Carolina, amidst the various ball-shaped lottery mascots in attendance.

(Click to display in gallery)All lottery players envision receiving that big oversized check, and the Manheims weren't disappointed.

Thanks to Leta Fox for the tip.

I am an avid lottery player and have a bit of a hobby collecting tickets from all over the US from my travels.  I have bought tickets in Greensboro many times and am glad to see someone win, however I felt for winning such a difficult game this man should have gotten more out of it.  I mean 12 million can only go so far in this bad economy especially if you take cash (you are taxed like hell).  I am honestly wondering how they can get away with starting the jackpot at only 12 million when they've added so many new states that play the Mega Millions game now in 2010 (ALL OLD MEGA MILLIONS JURISDICTIONS FROM 2009 + Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Colorado, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Nebraska, Oregon, DC, Idaho, Montana, West Virginia, South & North Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas).  HOW CAN THE STARTING JACKPOT BE THE SAME? Why is no one else questioning their possibly illegal and fraudulent handling of keeping the starting jackpot at 12 million after the addition of all these new states?  They are getting A LOT more money now from each drawing. I know that 12 million would be a nice win, but it's the principle that bothers me of not being clear where all the extra money is going (because it's certainly not going back into the jackpots).   I also find it patronizing that with such a difficult lottery game to win, the third hardest lottery in the ENTIRE world to win I believe (after both powerball and ENO lotto), they keep this starting jackpot at simply 12 million.  In my opinion it should start at 20 million after the addition of all these new states and I strongly believe the lotteries have more than enough funds to support raising the starting jackpot.  The game is simply not as exciting as it used to be and we are getting more winners lately (which is fine by me), but at lower (less exciting!) amounts.  The lotteries need to wake up and realize they would make more money if the jackpots would soar (more people play when the jackpots are sky-high).  I honestly hope we get some more high jackpots because lately with both PB and MM all the fun has been taken out of it for me and I find myself not playing as much.  MM is so astronomically hard to win (with the odds of winning being far worse than being struck by lightning on a sunny day) you deserve at least 20 million minimum for a perfect jackpot hit on this.  They are shafting the players and I think people should complain.  It could be you that wins or it could be me that wins one day when the jackpot is at the minimum level.  Sometimes I'll buy multi-draw tickets and someone will win in the middle, resetting the jackpot.  If I won on a drawing where it was only 12 million being only 23 years old by the time I'm 60 all that 12 million would probably be gone. (My preference is annuity by the way).  See what I mean?  It's not worth the odds at all.  They need to up that starting jackpot up to be fair to us players!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!