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A man in North Carolina who recently won a huge lottery prize in a new game couldn't believe his luck, thinking the win was a joke.
Michael Petrivelli, of Concord, stopped the Speedway on Concord Parkway North where he purchased a $5 Ice scratch-off ticket, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery. He quickly learned that he won big in the newly-launched game, scoring a massive $200,000 prize.
"Lo and behold, I thought it was a joke," he said. "I didn't think it was real."
The win also came at a great time time, one day before his wife's birthday which he told lottery officials made the day that much more special.
"It was definitely a nice birthday present for her," he said.
Petrivelli claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Wednesday (January 25), bringing home a total of $142,501 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what he plans to do with his new winnings, he told lottery officials that it will go toward home renovations, just another reason the prize came at just the perfect time.
"We are redoing our house right now so this will really come in handy," he said.
According to the state lottery, the Ice game launched in December with three top prizes of $200,000. After Petrivelli's win, two of the prizes remain to be claimed.