Jerry Hicks has worked as a master carpenter for 56 years. Now, the North Carolina resident is retiring after winning $1 million thanks to a string of luck. Hicks, of Banner Elk, made a stop at a convenience store in Boone last Tuesday and found a $20 bill in the parking lot. He told the North Carolina lotto that he used that money to buy an Extreme Cash scratch-off. “They actually didn’t have the ticket I was looking for so I bought that one instead,” he said. news Oct 9 Mega Millions is raising ticket prices from $2 to $5, but promises bigger payouts—here's what to know lottery Jul 9 Great-grandmother who just finished radiation treatments for breast cancer wins $5M lottery prize The ticket was worth $1 million. Hicks claimed his winnings on Friday and chose the lump sum of $600,000. After state and federal withholding, he took home $429,007. Had he chosen the annuity option, Hick would have received $50,000 over 20 years. He said he also planned on using his winnings to help his children out. But first, he’s going to celebrate with a big meal. “We are going to head straight to Golden Corral and eat everything they’ve got,” Hicks said.