RALEIGH – Alex Walls of Laurinburg says that outside of his lovely wife, winning $1 million on a scratch-off ticket is the best Valentine’s Day gift he’s ever received.

Walls won the top prize in the lottery’s new 50X The Cash game. He purchased the lucky $10 ticket on Feb. 14 at the Starflite Convenience Store on East Hamlet Avenue in Hamlet.

“I thought I had won $20 at first,” Walls said. “When I saw what I had won, it was hard for me to keep it together. But after a while it started to feel real.”

A $1 million prize in the game can be claimed in 20 annuity payments of $50,000, or a one-time payment of $600,000. Walls chose the lump sum, worth $415,503 after required state and federal withholdings.

“I’m going to save this money for the future, share with some family members and take a special vacation later this year,” Walls said as he collected his winnings on Thursday.

The 50X The Cash game went on sale on Feb. 3. As of Thursday afternoon, four $1 million top prizes remain to be claimed in the game.

Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.6 billion for the state. Net proceeds will be used this year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, for school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

For details on how more than $17.4 million in lottery funds have made a difference for specific education programs in Scotland County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.