Young winner decides against the lump sum
By Kate Northrop
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina man won a $1 million top prize in the lottery after he gave his sister some money to purchase a ticket on his behalf.
An 18-year-old North Carolina resident ended up winning $1 million in the North Carolina Lottery after asking his sister to pick up a ticket for him.
Jalen McLean, 18, of Raleigh, was all grins from the instant he found out he won a million dollars to the moment he held up the giant ceremonial check.
"I feel like the luckiest guy in the universe," he told the Lottery.
On Tuesday, McLean gave some money to his sister, Dasha Silas, and asked her to pick out a scratch-off lottery ticket for him at the store. She visited the Valero on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville and chose a ticket from the $10 "Jumbo Bucks" game.
She brought the ticket back and sat next to McLean while he scratched it.
"He had a huge smile on his face," Silas recounted. "Like so big it looked like the movie character Venom."
McLean laughed when asked to describe what the lottery win means to him.
"How many 18-year-olds win something like this?" he smiled.
The youngest of five siblings, McLean visited Lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Wednesday to claim his prize, either as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000.
He chose the annuity of $50,000 over the next 19 years. Until he is 38 years old, McLean will get a check for $50,000 every year, at which point the full $1 million prize will be paid. The lucky winner received the first of 20 payments on Wednesday and took home $35,753 after federal and state taxes.
With his winnings, he wants to buy an Audi.
With McLean's claim, there are two out of seven top prizes of $1 million remaining in the $10 "Jumbo Bucks" game, which launched in June 2023. There are also six out of 14 second-tier prizes of $50,000 and six out of 21 third-tier prizes of $10,000 left to claim.
The overall odds of winning any prize in the game are 1 in 3.72.
(Click to display full-size in gallery)
For some odd reason I like seeing younger lotto winners.
He chose the annuity of $50,000 over the next 19 years
Good choice choosing the annuity, no hurry, he'll have money coming in,
no need to have it all at once right now.
Congrats to him!
I love everything about this story. To me, this is the best of the lottery. Seems like a good kid with a good family, who all accompanied him to claim the prize. Love the family photo. No squabbling about who won the prize. Great choice on the annuity. Good choice on the Audi too!
Congratulations to this young man in his win. People are always advised against taking the annuity, but it ensures he'll have an annual income for the next 19 years and won't blow it all right away. This also keeps the roaches from coming out of the woodwork.
Good for him! Not sure about the Audi though. Too much $$$$$ for upkeep and repairs. Go for a Lexus, dude.
Congrats!
Congratulations young man,
...good choice on the annuity & the Audi...
ps: i love the fam photo with Mom & Grand-mom helping to hold up that "check"
Finally. A lottery winner who takes the annuity, which is the best option. Way too many people take the lump sum, only to lose everything years later. I am glad that the winner decided to get paid over a 20 year period.
I think younger folks should take the annuity, even though you don't mention 20 years of tax liability.
It is not always the best option. Decades ago I'd say Cash option when we had to do that @ time of purchase. Not the case @ my age. No way would I take an annuity.
Great story and what a wonderful sister
., congrats and enjoy. 
Such a nice looking family. I think they included grandma also. I think anyone below 30 should take the annuity.
to a bright future !!
personally I'd of skipped the Audi, but to each his/her own
Some say one should only spend a years worth of take home salary on a new car. He can get a 2025 Subaru or other decent hybrid luxury/budget vehicle with a take home pay of $35k a year from winnings that would still last when the last check arrives in 2043. $100/day 4 Twenty Years is not a lot of money to be spending on an Audi and it's collateral costs (high insurance rates, exotic tax, rare parts that are expensive, higher car problems than other luxury car brands, increased chance of traffic related tickets, especially in speed trap towns).
Lastly, a house worth 10 years of take home salary should be bought on West Virginia side of border with Virginia in Metro DC. The value of the property is going to skyrocket tenfold or more in a billion seconds, due to growing population spreading northwestward and potential move of Capital to Harper's Ferry in distant future.
That's just my opinion, based on almost winning $20,000 by playing winning numbers off one drawing in high school and "winning" $10,000 in 2016 but that is what would be done if a decent amount of money was won.
Word of advice: If you win an amount that triggers a W2G, demand that the 24% federal along with state, and municipal is withheld no matter if it's as little as $600. Dealing with the IRS is a hassle, especially if there was no net wins in the year.
What a way to start life at 18 and win a Million Dollars!!
What does that last paragraph mean? You don't pay taxes on lottery wins of $600. AFTER $600 you do pay taxes.
OTOH, though not sure where this going (with the mess of our so called leaders in DC) the casino lobbyists want to increase the taxable amount from $1200 to $5000 to, as they say, adjust for inflation.
I have yet to find any lottery lobbyists out there, if they exist that is.