Woman wins $25,000 a year for life in NC lottery. Did she take lump sum instead?

A Charlotte woman beat odds of 1 in 1,813,028 to win the coveted “$25,000 a year for life” prize with a $2 North Carolina Education Lottery ticket.

However, she technically opted not to take it.

Instead, Annette Harper went with a second option: a lump sum check for a lesser amount, lottery officials said in a news release.

Harper’s win came after matching five white balls in the Lucky for Life game: 14, 25, 33, 39 and 40. Had she matched the sixth gold ball (10), the prize would have been $1,000 a day for life, according to the game. Odds of that are 1 in 30,821,472.

“When Harper arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday (Sept. 4), she had a decision to make,” lottery officials said.

“She could choose to receive $25,000 a year for the rest of her life or $500,000 in cash. She chose the lump sum option and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $279,832.”

Details of how Harper intends to spend the cash were not released.

The $2 ticket was purchased at the Circle K on Central Avenue in Charlotte, officials said. The Lucky for Life game also allows players to buy tickets online.

This story was originally published September 10, 2025 at 8:09 AM with the headline "Woman wins $25,000 a year for life in NC lottery. Did she take lump sum instead?."