Angier Man Credits Store Clerk For $2 Million Win

ANGIER – Kenneth Skipper of Angier almost gave up on buying a $20 scratch-off on Friday when his card didn’t initially work, but he tried one final time and got rewarded with the first $2 million prize in a new game.

“There was some type of problem with the card reader,” he recalled. “I tried like three times in a row but for some reason it wasn’t working.”

Skipper said he was prepared to give up, but the store clerk suggested he try his card one last time.

“On that last try it finally went through,” Skipper said.

He bought the lucky $2 Million Vault ticket from Circle V Mart on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville. He said he sat there for five minutes just starting at the ticket after he scratched it.

“I called my wife and told her, ‘I think I just won the lottery,’” Skipper said. “She started freaking out.”

Skipper said he then went back in the store to find the clerk who sold him the ticket.

“I pulled her to the side and said, ‘You’ve just changed my life,’” he said.

When Skipper got to Raleigh on Friday to claim his prize, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $100,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.2 million. He chose the lump sum of $1.2 million and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $861,006.

He plans to use his winnings to pay bills and give to his church.

The $2 Million Vault game debuted this month with three top prizes of $2 million and six $100,000 prizes. Two $2 million prizes and six $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.