First-time scratch-off player didn’t know he won — until grandma saw NC ticket

A man decided to buy a scratch-off lottery ticket for the first time in North Carolina because he had “seen lots of other people win.”

But it wasn’t until he showed the ticket to his grandma that he realized he had won himself.

Amir Dickerson of Onslow County turned a $5 Mega Bucks ticket into a $200,000 top prize, the North Carolina Education Lottery said July 8.

“I just got lucky,” he told lottery officials.

Dickerson bought his ticket at a Shell gas station in Jacksonville, but after he scratched it, the inexperienced lottery player said he didn’t realize what he was seeing.

“I actually didn’t know that I won at first,” he told lottery officials. “I gave the ticket to my grandma to look at and she told me I won.”

Dickerson’s beginner’s luck helped him beat the 1-in-1,234,580 odds to win one of nine top prizes in the game, which debuted in August, according to lottery records.

“It was just like shock,” he said. “I was so happy.”

He ended up with $143,501 after taxes and told lottery officials he plans to use the money to help his family.

“I’m just thankful,” Dickerson added.

Five top prizes remain in the scratch-off game.

Dickerson is from Richlands, which is about a 60-mile drive northeast from Wilmington.

This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 11:32 AM with the headline "First-time scratch-off player didn’t know he won — until grandma saw NC ticket."