North Carolina– A retired housekeeper has a million reasons to enjoy her retirement. And, now Deanna Sanders, of Graham, has some extra money to deposit into her retirment account.
NC Lottery officials report that Sanders just got one big retirement check by becoming the first $1 million winner of a new feature in the Mega Millions game. Sanders’ $2 Megaplier ticket matched all five white balls in the November 16 drawing.
Sanders said she surprised her son when he returned home from Snow Camp Raygo located on Snow Camp Road in Snow Camp. Sanders’ son told her she should have played Tuesday night because someone in Snow Camp had won $1 million.
She said, "I look at him, grinning, and showed him the ticket," Sanders said. "I did cry," she said of the moment she realized she’d won. "But besides crying, I don’t think I really felt anything. Scared. Because that is a lot of responsibility."
Sanders said that she planned to use a portion of her winnings, worth $680,000 after taxes, to pay bills. The Snow Camp Raygo is eligible for a $10,000 bonus incentive for selling the $1 million winning ticket.
Deanne Ashburn told WFMY News 2 she sold the winning ticket to Sanders’ husband at the Snow Camp Raygo and said he also turned in the winning ticket. Deanna Sanders’ signature was on the ticket, though, said Ashburn.
"I just kept yelling his name and I said, ‘do you realize what happened?’ And he’s like, ‘what, what, what?’ And I think I was probably more excited than he was and I just grabbed his arm and started shaking him and just hugged him," said Ashburn.
"I never ever thought I would know anybody that even won much less you know, get to tell them they won it," she said. "I know the husband better because he comes in every day and you couldn’t have asked for a better person with the best personality."
Ashburn said Sanders’ husband has bought lottery tickets there twice a week for at least a year.
She said, "Dreams come true. It can really, really happen. You can really win a million dollars."