GASTON COUNTY, N.C. -- Howard Smith II, a local restaurant owner, is a lot richer after winning a $10 million lottery prize.
- Smith's luck happened Thursday while he was running errands
- Smith had the option of a $10 million annuity, with 20 payments of $500,000 a year, or a lump sum of $6 million
- He chose the lump sum and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $4,230,069
"When my 5 year old found out I won, he asked if I would buy him a Ferrari," said Smith. "I'll buy him a toy one and get him something better. I plan to set up a trust fund for each of my three children to make sure they're taken care of."
Smith nabbed the lucky ticket Thursday while he was running errands.
"I had two Extreme Millions tickets that I needed to cash in sitting on my dresser," Smith said. "They had been there for about three months, so I grabbed them and took them with me."
After his first errand, Smith stopped by Will's Food Store on South New Hope Road in Gastonia and used his winnings to buy a $10 ticket and another $30 Extreme Millions ticket. Smith didn't win anything initially, resulting in him simply throwing the Extreme Millions ticket in his truck and forgetting about it until hours later.
“I was a little shocked to say the least,” Smith said. “I called my wife and asked her to come get me. I told her, ‘I don’t think I can drive right now.’”
Smith had the option of a $10 million annuity, with 20 payments of $500,000 a year, or a lump sum of $6 million. He chose the lump sum and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $4,230,069.