A man in the United States experienced a life-changing moment after finding cash on the ground and buying a lottery ticket with it. According to CNN on the 27th (local time), Jerry Hicks, a carpenter from North Carolina, discovered a $20 bill (approximately 27,000 won) in the parking lot of a convenience store along the highway on the 22nd. He used the cash to purchase an "Extreme Cash" scratch-off lottery ticket. Scratch-off tickets allow players to reveal their winnings by scratching off a coating with a coin.

To his surprise, when Hicks scratched off the ticket, he realized he had won $1 million (approximately 1.38 billion won). He claimed his prize at the North Carolina Education Lottery headquarters on the 25th. Instead of opting for the payout over 20 years, Hicks decided to take a lump sum of $600,000 (around 800 million won). After taxes, his take-home amount is $429,007 (approximately 590 million won). When asked what he wanted to do first with his winnings, Hicks replied, “I’m going to Golden Corral and eat everything there.” Golden Corral is a popular buffet restaurant chain in the U.S. He also mentioned that he plans to retire from carpentry after 56 years and support his children.



(Dong-A Ilbo, October 29, 2024)